Welcome to Jogjakarta: Indonesia's City of History, Culture and Higher Learning

by Exotissimo Travel

Jogjakarta is the capital of Jogjakarta Special Region Province, which is in the southern part of Java. It is also common to see the city and province being spelled as Yogyakarta or even referred to Joga. The city is renowned for being a center of Javanese art and drama as well as being a center for higher education in Indonesia.
The main population in the city is of Javanese origin. However, with the number of universities in Jogjakarta, the city has become something of a college town. As a result, there are people from many different backgrounds and ethnicities living in the city, making it one of Indonesia's most diverse areas.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, Jogjakarta was the seat of the Javanese empire. Many of the empire's roots and traditions are still present in the city today, which can captivate visitors to the city.
Being one of Indonesia's oldest cities, Jogjakarta offers visitors many sights and sounds. One of the must see heritage building is Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono's Palace. This is a classic example of grand, elegant Javanese architecture. It was completed in 1756.
The city also presents a nice array of Dutch colonial architecture. One such example is at Benteng Vredeburg. It is a Dutch fort located in front of Gedung Agung (the President's Palace). Some warfare items from the past such as cannons are still present there. Kotabaru is another example of Dutch colonial influence. It used to be a residential area for Dutch officials with a few heritage homes scattered around as well as a colonial style church, a stadium and a monastery.
Some of the art the city is known for includes its silver work, its leather puppets used for shadow plays and its unique batik dyed fabric. Jogjakarta is also known for its gamelan music, which was developed in the courts during the height of the Javanese Empire. The city is also a headquarters for the country's underground art scene. It is home to many independent filmmakers, musicians, visual artisans and stage performance artists.
Due to the city's important role in achieving independence, Jogjakarta is also home to several memorials and museums. Yogya Kembali Museum, and Fort Vredeburg Museum are two major war/independence exhibitions.
There are also other interesting museums of other topics to visit as well. The Sonobudoyo Museum displays numerous Javanese archeological artifacts such as puppets, masks, textiles and musical instruments. The Kekayon Museum is an exhibition solely dedicated to wayangs (Indonesian puppets). It is divided into ten sections, with each section displaying a vast array of wayangs from various places in Indonesia.
The city of Jogjakarta may be in one of the country's smallest provinces, but both the city and province are some of Indonesia's more popularly visited spots. You can see why with Exotissimo's Highlights of Jogjakarta and Surroundings tour. This three-day program immerses you with the colorful Jogjakarta culture. You will get great insight into the city and its surroundings while not being too strenuous as well making it a perfect way to explore and relax at the same time. You may also see our Indonesia tours page for other interesting tours into this varied and colorful country or contact us if you have any questions.