Water castle to be restored

Sri Wahyuni and Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Those who visit the Water Castle, or Tamansari, in Yogyakarta can only imagine its former beauty as much of this park of palaces, pools and waterways is in ruins.

But, thanks to its inclusion among the World Monument Fund's (WMF) 100 most endangered sites earlier this year, the park is soon to undergo a facelift.

Restoration activities at the 12.6-hectare park started last month and are expected to be finished by July 2004. While the Water Castle once took up 25 hectares of land, much of this is now occupied by houses, batik galleries and businesses.

Head of the Kraton Unit of the Yogyakarta Archeological Preservation Agency (BPPP) Eko Hadiyanto said that no attempt would be made to reconstruct those buildings that had been destroyed. He explained that the idea was to restore the Water Castle by developing the building or ruins that remained.

The restoration project is a collaborative effort involving the Yogyakarta palace, the Calouste Gulbenklan Foundation of Portugal, Gadjah Mada University's Center of Environmental Studies in Yogyakarta, the provincial and municipal governments of Yogyakarta, BPPP and the Jogja Heritage Society (JHS).

The funds earmarked for the project amount to Rp 4.5 billion (US$5.2 million). Some Rp 1.6 billion has been donated by the Calouste Gulbenklan Foundation, and some Rp 900 million from the provincial Regional Infrastructure and Housing Office

The Umbul Binangun complex, which consists of three swimming pools and two changing rooms, will be restored first. The basin of the pools will be reinforced with concrete to prevent further cracking, although the original structure and look will be maintained.

The pools, which no one has swum in for years, will be filled with water once all work on the Water Castle is completed.

"But, of course, they will fill the pools with water using modern technology," Laretna Adi Shakti of JHS told The Jakarta Post.

Leretna -- also a dedicated researcher of Tamansari's history -- said that previously the nearby Winongo and Code rivers had been damned, and the castle complex landscaped, so that the water from the rivers flowed into the pools.

The second stage of the restoration will be funded by the WMF and include the restoration of the buildings known as Gapura Agung, Gedong Sekawan, Gedong Temanten, and Gapura Panggung, at a cost of some Rp 2 billion.

"By my calculations, the restored buildings will account for only some 10 percent of the original size of the complex," Laretna, or Sita, as she is affectionately called, said.

Tamansari, in Taman village, Kraton sub-district is located just west of the Yogyakarta Palace.

It was built between 1761 and 1765 as a gift from Sultan Hamengkubuwono I to his beloved queen for enduring the hardships that had accompanied the establishment of the kingdom. It was constructed with multi-functional purposes in mind.

"It was a recreational place, a retreat, a shelter, a place for religious activities... the latest research on Tamansari indicates that it was also used for farming to supply the palace with fresh produce," Sita said.

An underground tunnel, known as Goa Siluman, was found in the complex, along with meditation areas, a graveyard, recreational pools, places of worship, and evidence that there had once been an artificial lake on the site for boating activities.

An earthquake in 1865 and the eruption of Mount Merapi in 1867 were responsible for much of the damage to the Water Castle.

One location, called Taman Ledoksari, is thought to be the place where the sultan meditated and met with the queen of the South Sea, Nyi Rara Kidul.

Until now, there is a room in Ledoksari where people meditate on special dates of the Javanese calendar, such as Kliwon night of Tuesday and Friday.

Another place which is considered to be sacred is Sumur Gumuling, a shallow well beneath four Muslim prayer rooms.

Sita, who is an architect, said that Tamansari was a beautiful, well-designed complex, The architects had also taken into consideration ventilation and a drainage system, she said.

A mixture of Chinese, Portuguese, Islamic, and Javanese architectural styles, Tamansari was apparently a safe place to hide during times of war. The complex is surrounded by 1.5-meter thick walls.

Over the course of time, the site has been used for various purposes such as for a traditional market, badminton court, and even a garbage dump.

This year marks a big step forward for the Water Palace. Sita said that good management was also important so that eventually the Water Palace would not run at a loss.

With just a little creative effort, she continued, the managing agency could promote Tamansari as a memorable place for elegant wedding parties for the rich and famous, for example, "Why not?" Sita laughed.