Local Guide

6 Historical Bali Palaces to Visit for An Authentic Bali Experience

Hello FlokqFebruary 24, 2021

In ancient times, the territory of Bali was divided into several kingdoms. Each of these Bali kingdoms has inherited various characteristics of culture, ranging from the arts, clothing, to customs, including heritage in the form of palace buildings and royal gardens.

If you are keen in tracing the history of Bali in the form of the palace and garden heritage, maybe the following places can be an interesting choice for you to visit while in Bali.

1. Taman Tirta Gangga

The first one on the list is Taman Tirta Gangga, a beautiful water park complex with a classic taste. This garden reflects the cultural pattern of the palace and the Balinese people who regard water as the source of life. Taman Tirta Gangga is located in Ababi village, Abang sub-district, Karangasem Regency, about 2 hours drive from Denpasar city. According to folklore, Tirta Gangga is a spring that is considered sacred by the local population. This Tirta Gangga spring is often use by residents for religious ceremonies.

The name Tirta Gangga consists of two words, ‘Tirta’ which means water and ‘Gangga’ is the holy river in India. This spring is believed to have existed since around 300 years ago. The area around Tirta Gangga was made into a park by the King of Karangasem in 1948. If you visit Taman Tirta Gangga, you will see a beautiful view with an area of ​​about 1.8 hectares. The panoramic views of the rice fields and ponds as well as the fresh mountain air will make you feel at home in a peaceful retreat.

Around Taman Tirta Gangga, there are various tourist facilities, such as lodging, restaurants, and art shops. To enter the Tirta Gangga Park area, you will need to pay around IDR 10,000 to IDR 20,000 per person.

2. Taman Sukasada Ujung

Taman Sukasada Ujung is a water palace building that was built during the reign of King I Gusti Bagus Jelantik (1909 – 1945). The architecture of the palace which is located in Tumbu village, Karangasem district, is a mix of Balinese, European and Chinese.

At the beginning of its establishment, Taman Ujung functioned as a resting place for the royal family and guests of the king who visited Karangasem, apart from Tirta Gangga. As the Royal Water Park (The Water Palace), this place has three large water pools. Taman Sukasada Ujung is widely use as a place for pre-wedding photos for couples.

3. Taman Gili Kerta Gosa

Next is Taman Gili Kerta Gosa, a cultural heritage building complex of the Klungkung Semarapura palace. The Semarapura palace building complex was built around 1686 by the founder of the Klungkung kingdom, Ida Dewa Agung Jambe. The beauty of this tourist spot is that there is a beautiful pool that provides coolness to tourists.

The uniqueness of Kerta Gosa is the exotic paintings on the ceiling in this building. The Kamasan (a village in Klungkung) style paintings that adorn the roof ceilings tell of puppet stories. Historically, the Kerta Gosa Building used to be as a court during the Dutch colonial era in Bali.

Also read: 30 Most Beautiful Temples in Bali That You Must Visit

4. Taman Ayun Temple

Another gem is Taman Ayun Temple, a temple complex that belongs to the Mengwi Royal family. Taman Ayun Temple is located in the Village of Mengwi Regency, Badung. From the city of Denpasar, you have to cover a distance of about 19 kilometres. In the local language, “Taman Ayun” means a beautiful garden.

Taman Ayun has a beautiful view. Its charm comes from the building complex that surrounds the temple, located on an area of ​​4 hectares. From a distance, it looks like bracelet pool water so that the temple building seems to be standing on the surface of the water. The beautiful scenery looks more complete because of the surrounding trees and flowers.

Historically, Taman Ayun was built by the King of Mengwi, I Gusti Agung Ngurah Made Agung in 1634 which was used as a temple for the Mengwi royal family. At that time, the Mengwi kingdom was one of the eight major kingdoms on the island of Bali. The Taman Ayun temple complex consists of three parts, namely the open space, the main building, and the building dedicated to the gods.

If you are satisfied to enjoy the beauty of this park, you should also visit the Manusa Yadnya Museum which is located about 300 meters from Taman Ayun.

5. Puri Saren Ubud (Ubud Palace)

Ubud Palace, which is located in Gianyar Regency, is a heritage palace of the Ubud Bali Kingdom. Puri Saren Ubud currently functions as a protective center for Balinese traditional culture, arts and literature. The existence of this castle is the identity of the people of Ubud and the surrounding villages.

Although the feudal system has long been abandoned, the role of Tjokorda (Title of King) is still very meaningful for the people of Ubud.

If your vacation trip passes through Ubud Village, then make sure you visit the beauty of Puri Saren Ubud.

6. Tampaksiring Palace

Tampaksiring Palace is a palace built after Indonesia’s independence, located in Tampaksiring Village, Tampaksiring District, Gianyar Regency,

This palace was founded on the initiative of President Soekarno who wanted a resting place with cool air away from the city crowd, suitable for the President of the Republic of Indonesia and his family as well as for state guests.

The architect is R.M. Soedarsono, and the palace’s building process was stage by stage. Tampaksiring Palace complex consists of four main buildings namely the Wisma Merdeka area of 1,200 square meters and Wisma Yudhistira of 2,000 square meters and Multipurpose Room. Wisma Merdeka and Wisma Yudhistira are the first buildings they built in 1957. In 1963, all developments were completed, marked by the establishment of Wisma Negara and Wisma Bima.

Those are all the 6 Balinese palaces that you should visit while you are on vacation in Bali. Hope this could help you decide your vacation destination while in Bali!

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