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Cirebon palace, a must-visit for culture enthusiasts
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Sunyaragi Cave in Cirebon, West Java. (Shutterstock/File)
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round a four-hour road trip from Jakarta, Cirebon in West Java offers an interesting destination for tourists, from breathtaking landscapes to cultural heritage.
One of the must-visit places in the port city is Kraton Kanoman (Kanoman Palace), especially for culture and history enthusiasts.
Situated at the back of Kanoman Market, 3 kilometers from the city of Cirebon, it was established in 1678 by Prince Mohamad Badridin, also known as Prince Kertawijaya or Sultan Anom I -- his official title.
Because of its convenient location at the back of a traditional market, the palace can easily be accessed by the public. "This kraton is open to anyone," said Diah, a local visitor, as quoted by Antara.
Even without purchasing a ticket, visitors can freely enter and explore the site, including the sultan's house and ritual places used for ceremonies. They can also communicate with members of the royal family who live in the 6-hectare palace area.
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The palace itself consists of three parts. Art performances are usually held in the front area; gamelan and other equipment owned by the kingdom are stored there as well.
At the center there is a building named Jinem, which is the main house where the king's coronation ceremony took place.
Meanwhile, the back area of the kraton hosts the houses of the king and his children, with the original exterior well-preserved. Nearby there is a place named Witana, which serves as the royals bathing place. An ancient well where special rituals are held can be found there.
The palace can be reached by public transportation that goes to Kanoman Market in front of Cirebon Station, priced Rp 4,000 (29 US cents) one-way. Visitors can also opt to rent a motorcycle for around Rp 80,000 per day. (kes)
