JP\/17\/KOTA<\/p>\n
Kotagede restores its past glories<\/p>\n
Tarko Sudiarno
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Eight kilometers southeast of Yogyakarta, Kotagede is an area
\nblessed with priceless treasures, as it used to be the center of
\nthe Mataram kingdom.<\/p>\n
Now the city has become a prominent destination for tourists
\nin Yogyakarta, mostly because of its outstanding silver and gold
\njewelry industry.<\/p>\n
Entering the city, rows of shops selling silver and gold
\nsouvenirs will welcome visitors, with eye-catching, shiny jewelry
\non display.<\/p>\n
Snuggling among the shops are typical Kotagede houses. The
\nwell-preserved mansions are a legacy of the city's past
\nprosperity.<\/p>\n
One particular area was, in the past, predominantly inhabited
\nby the Kalang tribe, a group of merchants who settled in
\nKotagede. The Yogyakarta ruler, Sultan Agung, allocated a plot of
\nland where they could build residences, one of the rewards they
\nreceived for reviving business in his sultanate.<\/p>\n
A stone fort separates the neighborhood from other residential
\nareas. Kalang means "fence" in Javanese, so the term may
\ndescribe the way the people lived, fenced in.<\/p>\n
Because most of the merchants traveled extensively to many
\nplaces, their dwellings showed how rich were their tastes. Most
\nof the buildings are a blend of European and Javanese
\narchitectural styles.<\/p>\n
The typical houses are popular as Saudagaran style (saudagar
\nmeans merchant in Javanese).<\/p>\n
The haughtiness of the merchants is reflected in the story of
\nPrawiro Soewarno, who was called Pak Tembong. In the 1800s,
\nduring the Dutch colonial era, the wealthy merchant built a two-
\nstory house on the west side of the Gajah Uwong River. He inlaid
\nthe floor with Dutch gold coins.<\/p>\n
As soon as the Dutch administrators heard about the floor, Pak
\nTembong was ordered by Dutch administrators to remove it as it
\nwas an insult to have the Dutch queen's face, featured on the
\ncoins, on the floor.<\/p>\n
The administrators obviously did not want their queen's face
\nstepped on by commoners. It was unclear whether or not Pak
\nTembong complied with the order.<\/p>\n
Tembong's house still stands sturdily today on Jl. Tegalgendu
\nand in 1990 the house was bought by Suyatin Ansor, who turned it
\ninto a business center housing a souvenir shop, restaurant,
\nlounge and boutique residence.<\/p>\n
Sekar Kedhaton Restaurant, Lounge and Boutique Residence
\nmarketing communications manager Ike Wahyu said it took almost
\nfour years to restore the beauty of the Saudagaran-style house.<\/p>\n
Statues of fierce-looking twin dragons guard the front gate --
\nan original feature at the property.<\/p>\n
The main building is a typical, European-style building with
\nhigh ceiling and spacious rooms. Huge pillars and wood carvings
\npaint green and yellow resemble those in the Yogyakarta sultan's
\npalace.<\/p>\n
The lavish ornaments and historical background of the
\nbuilding, particularly the dining room, also provide an ideal
\nsetting for royal cuisine served as rijsttafel (a meal comprising
\nrice and various side dishes).<\/p>\n
This kind of place is becoming trendy in Kotagede, with a lot
\nof businesspeople converting old buildings into business
\nestablishments that retain their original architecture.<\/p>\n
So, no wonder that holidaymakers can now enjoy wedang jahe (a
\nhot drink made of ginger and palm sugar) and kipo (sticky rice
\ncake with shredded coconut and palm sugar filling, typical of
\nKotagede) under a full moon at a Saudagar house, imagining how it
\nmight have been like to be a wealthy merchant.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp17kota-1447899208",
"image": ""
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