Tamansari : The Beautifull Water Castle

Taman Sari is one of the popular cultural tourism in Jogja. Indonesian people call it Taman Sari, but foreign tourists get to know as "The Water Castle".


This is the description from wikipedia:

Taman Sari also known as Taman Sari Water Castle is a site of a former royal garden of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. It is located about 2 km south within the grounds of the Kraton, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Built in mid 18th century, the Taman Sari had multiple functions, such as a resting area, a workshop, a meditation area, a defense area, and a hiding place.

Taman Sari consisted of four distinct areas: a large artificial lake with islands and pavilions located in the west, a bathing complex in the centre, a complex of pavilions and pools in the south, and a smaller lake in the east. Today only the central bathing complex is well preserved, while the other areas have been largely occupied by the Kampung Taman settlement.

Since 1995 the Yogyakarta Palace Complex including Taman Sari is listed as a tentative World Heritage Site.

This is me, photographed this near the Taman Sari entrance, as you can see, my hair black, I went to Tamansari at the Eid holiday 2012. Today I think to review it..


Taman Sari location is near Kraton, to get there for tourists outside jogja may be a bit confusing, but there are a lot of tour guides who helped deliver there. entrance fee to Tamansari is not expensive, I do not remember exactly, maybe about IDR 5.000.

Taman Sari consists of several buildings. The protruding part are two pool which the water looks clear, this pool is said to be used for the king's wife bathing, and the kings watched from a higher building.
 

About the history of Tamansari, usually the tour guide will explain it, when I get there, I didn't use the services of a tour guide, i only heard a little from a tour guide who was explaining to the tourists. Usually the tour guide was "the royal servants" who live around Tamansari.


We went to Taman Sari at the Eid holiday, where there was quite crowded by local and foreign tourists.


I enjoyed the atmosphere near the pool which the water looks very clear ^^


The weather was bright and sunlight blinding my eyes >.<


Unfortunately Tamansari a bit unmanaged because there are sections where people can scribble on the wall, seriously .. I want to beat in the head who've doodled walls of this precious tourism.
The management should make prohibition to not damage anything at the Tamansari, and gave penalties for those who violate.


This is the final gate of Tamansari, or perhaps the gateway? because Tamansari can be accessed from 2 way 


Helloooo.. it's me again hahahahaha


We headed to the second part of Taman Sari, an underground passageway. To reach there we have to walk through the village, it is not so difficult because there are directions and you could ask the villagers.

You are definitely familiar with this picture below, there are so many people who use this underground passageway to prewedding photos.


To get this photo I had to queued up, because there are so many tourists who want to take photos here too


And then we walk along the this passage, the conditions a little dark, feels a little bit scary >.<


fortunately not all part is dark, we toured down the hallway like this,


and like this,


And then we headed the third part of Tamansari, in the outside there are musicians who are singing, we could give a little donation to them.

I do not know what is the building actually used it, unfortunately not much left of this the building, but the atmosphere is quite nice for portraits photography or prewedding photography, unfortunately i'm didn't have Taman Sari photos in this section.


Venue Name : Taman Sari (The Water Castle)
Address : Jl. Taman, Kraton, Yogyakarta 55133, Indonesia
GPS Coordinate : S7 48 36.4 E110 21 34.2
Operation Hours : Monday - Sunday, 09.00 - 15.30