Water Castle (Tamansari)

Tamansari, originally the palace of leisure and rest for the Sultan and his family, is the water palace of Yogyakarta. They would come for the summer but also to meditate or to hide from the enemy during the invasions of the city. It is located about 2 km south of the palace of Yogyakarta called Kraton. European style with Japanese ornaments, Tamansari was built during the reign of Sultan Hamengku Buwono I in the late seventeenth century by the Portuguese. The sacred place is in a separate building where the Sultan hid with his family. This was being restored during my visit. The island of Cemeti, linked by underground tunnels to the palace, is an artificial island that was used for leisure.