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Kotagede () is a city district ( kemantren) and a historic neighborhood in Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Kotagede contains the remains of the first capital of Mataram Sultanate, established in the 16th century. Some of the remains of the old Kotagede are remains of the palace, the royal cemetery, the royal mosque, and defensive walls and moats. Kotagede is well known internationally for its silver crafting.
After Pemanahan died in 1575, Sutawijaya announced himself, king of Mataram, with the title of Panembahan Senapati Ingalaga, "the Lord to Whom Obeisance is Paid, Commander in the Battlefield".Information board in Malang Traditional Security Post, Kotagede He expanded his territory by conquering some major parts of Java, including Pajang, the capital of his adoptive father. The small town became the capital of Mataram and perhaps since then it was dubbed Kotagede, "Great City". During this time the town was fortified with walls. The western wall was built along the Gajah Wong River, channeled to water the moats on three other sides of the fort.
To successfully govern a territory, Senapati also established an alliance with supernatural power by performing austere meditation. According to Babad Mangkubumi, while performing a meditation on a stone in the middle of a river in between Mount Merapi and the Indian Ocean, a gigantic mythical fish named Tunggulwulung offered Senapati a ride to venture south of the ocean where the most powerful spirit of Java governed the netherworld, named Kangjeng Ratu Kidul. Overwhelmed by the aura of Senapati, the queen offered support for his great efforts to conquer the people of Java. She even presented herself to be his consort, as well as to all his reigning descendants, up to the present.Babad Tanah Jawi by Dr. J.J. Ras - (34:100 - 36:1)
A prince named Mas Jolang succeeded Senapati in 1601. During his 12 years of reign, he carried out many construction projects within the palace and the surrounding area, the most important building he constructed in the palace was Prabayeksa. Archeologist Willem Frederik Stutterheim notes the importance of this central building since the pre-Islamic Majapahit. In the contemporary palace of Yogyakarta, this name refers to a gigantic fully enclosed wooden building serving as the inner sanctum of this kingly abode where most magically charged heirlooms and weapons are stored.
Jolang initiated the construction of several Taman (enclosed pleasure gardens). He was remembered in his posthumous name as Panembahan Seda Krapyak ("Lord Who Died during Hunting (in Hunting Lodge)") because he was reputedly killed by a deer while hunting in his krapyak (enclosed hunting forest).
Jolang's successor to the throne was Mas Rangsang (rule 1613-1645) better known as Sultan Agung, "The Great Sultan, Ruler of the Universe". He expanded his territory to include Central and East Java. He attacked Jakarta twice although to no avail. Sultan Agung decided to leave Kotagede to a place called Kerta, about 5 km south of Kotagede, while initiating the construction of a new capital with much greater walls nearby named Plered.
The capital of Mataram moved several times afterward only to return later to a location near Kotagede. From Kerta it was relocated to Plered by Agung's son, Mangkurat I. Only one generation settled in Plered before the fall of this city after being defeated by some contenders of Mangkurat I in 1677.
After the rebellion had been put down, his successor Mangkurat II, decided to establish a new capital named Kartosuro 50 km to the east. The Chinese massacre in Batavia turned into turmoil in many major parts of Java during the first half of the 18th century. The rebel leader, Sunan Kuning, occupied the throne of Mataram in Kartasura after Pakubuwono II had left the capital in defeat. Pakubuwana II later regained his kingdom, but the throne had been tarnished, and so a new palace had to be established to have a purified center. In 1745, he created a new place which became the heart of the city of Surakarta.
Unlike many other parts of Java, some ancestral lands including Kotagede were indivisible because they were regarded as a kind of heirloom rather than measurable territory. The cemetery and mosque were guarded by officials from both courts and the surrounding lands were assigned as appanage to sustain the life of these officials. As the political power shifted, Kotagede became principally a pilgrimage town with its royal mausoleum and other sites associated with the initial establishment of the Mataram kingdom.
Many old buildings in Kotagede were destroyed following the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake. A revitalization program of Kotagede was initiated by Pusaka Jogja Bangkit! ("Yogyakarta Heritage Revival!"). Collaborative parties consist of the Jogja Heritage Society, the Center for Heritage Conservation, the Department of Architecture and Planning at Gajah Mada University, the Indonesian Network for Heritage Conservation, ICOMOS Indonesia, and other supporting institutions including the local community.
Today, Kotagede is still considered the site of origin with supernatural power being the focus of ancestral blessings and prosperity.
There are very few physical remains of the palace and city. Parts that have survived include the Kotagede ancient great mosque, the royal cemetery (precursor to Imogiri), and some sections of the original city walls. The great mosque and the royal cemetery are now located in an area called Dondongan.
Toponyms indicate many traces of the initial urban planning of the town. A neighborhood called Alun-alun is situated to the south of the market, right in front of the great mosque. A place called Dalem (inner house) signifies its former designation as the residence of the ruler.
Batu gilang (also watu gilang) is a square-shaped black slab of stone believed to be the stone where Panembahan Senopati rested. Inscribed circularly on it are the words: "So Goes the World", each in Latin, French, Dutch, and Italian: Ita movetur Mundus - Ainsi va le Monde - Zoo gaat de wereld - Cosi va il Mondo. On the outside, the Latin words in the circle say: AD AETERNAM MEMORIAM INFELICIS - INFORTUNA CONSORTES DIGNI VALETE QUID STUPEARIS INSANI VIDETE IGNARI ET RIDETE, CONTEMNITE VOS CONTEMTU VERE DIGNI - IGM (In Glorium Maximam).
Batu gatheng (also watu cantheng) are three pale yellowish stone balls of different sizes placed on a stone slab. These balls are believed by the locals to be the playing stones of Raden Rongo, the son of Panembahan Senapati. Others claim that the stones are cannonballs.
Batu genthong is believed to be the stone for containing the water used for wudu. It is used by royal advisors of Panembahan Senopati: Ki Juru Mertani and Ki Ageng Giring.
The mosque was built in traditional Javanese architecture. It consists of a pair of buildings: the main prayer hall and a front hall commonly called serambi. The prayer hall is a building of thick plain walls, while the serambi is a porch-like semi-attached building. Surrounding the porch is a moat to enable one to dip his or her feet before reaching the serambi, symbolically purifying anything that enters the mosque.
The mosque is situated right to the east of the royal cemetery. The mosque area is a vast yard of sawo kecik ( Manilkara kauki) trees, the two main buildings cover less than one-tenth of the entire area.
A gate separates the great mosque and the royal cemetery complex. The area before the gate is called the Sendang Seliran complex.
Another royal cemetery nearby is the Hastorenggo cemetery. Built in 1934, it is a royal cemetery for certain descendants of the Yogyakarta palace and is still used today.
The kampungs of Alun-alun and Cokroyudan have been designated a heritage neighborhood under the name "Kampung Pusaka Alun-alun Cokroyudan".
Legi, a day in Javanese week, is the market day for Kotagede, and so the market is also known as Pasar Legi or Sarlegi. The Pasar Legi of Kotagede is always held on Legi, unique in Yogyakarta.
The outer city wall ( baluwerti) is located to the south of the Batu Gilang site. The brick ruins are 50 meters long with remnants of the moat.
Bokong Semar is the name for the remains of the southeast corner of the city wall. It is a circular bastion, the name Bokong Semar (Semar's buttocks) is inspired by its rounded shape.
Some neighborhoods contain narrow alleyways bordered by brick houses similar to European medieval cities.
The silver crafts' houses can be found around the mosque while their galleries are along Kemasan Street.
Another form of traditional Javanese architecture is the langgar dhuwur (family mosque). Langgar dhuwur is a family prayer house located in the attic of several traditional houses in Kotagede. Langgar Dhuwur is built with wooden construction and is supported by wall columns. Previously, the placements of many langgar dhuwur formed a series that encircled the Mataram Royal Palace in Kotagede. Presently, only two langgar dhuwur remains, both are privately owned.Information bar in the wall of the Jagalan's Langgar Dhuwur.
During the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, many of the traditional houses were destroyed. Some joglo houses were rebuilt, one example is Omah UGM, a joglo that was purchased by Gajah Mada University and rebuilt accordingly.Information bar in front of Omah UGM.
Performing arts include karawitan (local gamelan music groups), syalawatan (Islamic music group), mocopat (Javanese poetry reading), kroncong, tingklung wayang puppet, and offering ceremonies on special days ( caos) and leading an ascetic religious life ( tirakatan).
Kotagede's silverware is characterized with its floral motifs, e.g. leaf or lotus flower, based from the Hindu tradition; and their manual labor, kept historically authentic. Types of silverware produced by Kotagede are filigrees, silver-casting, sculptures (miniatures), and handmade products (necklaces, rings).
Jalan Kemasan, the main street leading into town from the north, is lined with silver workshops selling hand-beaten bowls, boxes, fine filigree and modern jewellery .
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