Yogyakarta

Lying in the shadow of the aptly named "Fire Mountain", (2914 meter-high active volcano, Mt.Merapi), is the seat of the once mighty Javanese Empire of Mataram, Ngayogyakarto Hadiningrat. Yogyakarta (Yogya) came into being in 1755, when a land dispute split the power of Mataram into the Sultanates of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (solo). Prince Mangkubumi built Kraton of Yogyakarta and created one of the most powerful Javanese states ever. The Kraton is still the hub of Yogyakarta's traditional life and despite the advance of the refinement which has been the hallmark of its art and people for centuries. Yogyakarta is one of the supreme cultural centers of Java. Full Gamelan orchestras keep alive the rhythms the past, classical Javanese dances entrance with visions of beauty and poise, shadows come to life in the stories of the Wayang kulit and a myriad of traditional visual art forms keep locals and visitors alike spell-bound. Yogya has an extraordinary life force and charm which seldom fails to captivate. Contemporary art has also grown in the fertile soil of Yogyakarta's sophisticated cultural society. ASRI, the Academy of Fine Arts, is the centre of the arts in the region and Yogyakarta has given its name to an important school of modern painting in Indonesia, best illustrated by the renowned impressionist, the late Affandi.The province is one of the most densely populated areas of Indonesia. It stretches from the slopes of mighty Mount Merapi in the North to the wave - swept beaches of the powerful Indian Ocean to the South. The city of Yogyakarta has an area of 3186 sq km and population of 500.000. It used to be the city of bicycles, with noisy and chaotic traffic much like any Javanese city.However the Kampungs, behind the main streets life unhurried. The city provides easy acces for an insight into Javanese culture : craft industries such as batik, silver, pottery. It is also a city of art: Wayang are easily visited: traditional Javanese perfoming arts can readily be seen :and the contemporary arts are also flourishing. Yogya is alsi a good base to explore nearby attacration including Indonesia’s most important archaeological sites Borobudur and Prambanan.