Kraton Kasunanan Surakarta

Solo’s most important kraton (palace), Kraton Kasunanan Surakarta was the original residence of Pakubuwana II, moved here when they shifted base from Kartasura to Solo in the 1740s and it remains the residence of the current sultan.

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As with Solo’s other palace, Puro Mangkunegaran, Kraton Kasunanan Surakarta’s heyday has well and truly passed (a considerable part of it was destroyed by fire in 1985), but it still makes for an interesting visit, especially in the company of an English-speaking guide.

Welcome. Sort of. Please walk to the left. Photo taken in or around Kraton Kasunanan Surakarta, Solo, Indonesia by Stuart McDonald.

Welcome. Sort of. Please walk to the left. Photo: Stuart McDonald

The vast majority of the enclosure is off limits to tourists, but you are allowed into a wooden garden with a performance pavilion and a tower and secondly to a rambling museum. As with some of the other museums in Solo, English signposting is minimal and even labelling in Indonesian can be quite hit and miss, so taking an English speaking guide is worth the extra money. You’ll also be asked to remove your shoes, and your knees and shoulders should be covered as a sign ... Travelfish members only (Full text is around 400 words.)

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