Solo Palace Customary Council Threatens to Force Open Access for Revitalisation Project

The Surakarta Palace Customary Council (LDA) has threatened to forcibly open all access points to the Keraton Solo complex to ensure a revitalisation project can proceed. The project covers 13 locations within the palace grounds, but several areas remain locked, preventing the project team from entering.

“We will open all of them. If they don’t want to open them, we will force them open. Actually, we have repeatedly asked for the closed areas to be opened,” said LDA chairman GRAy Koes Moertiyah, known as Gusti Moeng, after a traditional wilujengan ceremony for the revitalisation project at the palace, as reported by detikJateng on Tuesday (21/7/2026).

She detailed that the inaccessible locations include the Keputren area, the eastern side of the West Palace including the Pendopo, Kuncungan, and the Tursino Renggo pool, as well as the Ndalem Ageng. Regarding Ndalem Ageng, Gusti Moeng said she has been trying to communicate with GKR Paku Buwono or BRAy Asih Winarni for five months to hand over the keys, but without success.

“This is not the personal property of Sinuhun XIII, let alone his nuclear family. It belongs to the dynasty,” she asserted. Gusti Moeng also reminded that the palace buildings are protected under the Cultural Heritage Law, warning that anyone obstructing the revitalisation process could face legal repercussions.

Separately, Pengageng Sasana Wilapa of PB XIV, GKR Panembahan Timoer Rumbay Kusuma Dewayani, stated that there has been no communication or formal request for permission regarding the revitalisation project directed to her side. “There has been no discussion, nor any letter of permission, to us or to Sinuhun Paku Buwono XIV,” she said briefly.