olo or Surakarta is a town mainly connected with Javanese civilization, being one of the centers of energy in Java. Over time, this city has built a reputation as the centerpiece of culture. Back in Indonesia, Solonese has a reputation as calm, considerate, charming, and soft-spoken.
Solo is one of those bastions of Javanese cultural customs. In the sacred dances, the hand-crafted Batik, or wayang; this town not only preserves the traditions, but they also live it. Solo is not a huge town or the state’s administrative center, but that somehow empowers this town to strengthen their identity even more. Here are several places that you need to visit in this town.
Batik Centers
One of the best products in Solo is its Batik. Batik is Indonesia’s national fabric with intricate patterns, mostly found in Java Island. It is a historical tradition, and in the past, wearing a particular Batik pattern could demonstrate the wearer’s social status.
Solo is the town with probably the wealthiest batik heritage. Lots of batik museums are scattered around Solo. There are two batik kampongs; Kauman and Laweyan, which frequently arrange batik festivals. This town is the best place to learn about this gorgeous fabric.
The Palaces
Surakarta is the heir of Mataram Sultanate after the residence split in 1755. The Kasunanan Kingdom was established in Solo and Yogyakarta Sultanate, located in Yogyakarta. The remnants of its glorious past keep visible until now. You can visit Keraton Kasunanan; that’s the palace of Pakubuwono Kings built-in 1675.
This palace is unique as it combines classical European and traditional Javanese architecture. Puro Mangkunegaran is the palace of the Mangkunegara Princes that was built in 1757. Both palaces have museums and cultural and art centers with an entry fee of IDR 15000.
Shopping Centre
Solo is famous as a fabric city. It is a paradise for people who attempt to purchase Batik of any caliber. Cheap Batik can be found in Pasar Klewer, the biggest textile market in Indonesia. Suppose you wish to purchase premium excellent batik tulis. In that case, you can go to Danar Hadi, Keris, or even Semar Batik galleries.
Traditional and one of a kind craft arts are plentiful, from small scale to export quantity. The antique market in Windu Jenar offers excellent items if you have keen eyes. Beware of these counterfeit products, however.
Meet the Ancient Man in Sangiran
Sangiran is an archaeological site, about 15 kilometers from Surakarta. This UNESCO World Heritage site provides lots of treasure in the shape of fossils and remnants from the prehistoric era. This website rose to fame after the discovery of Homo Erectus stays with stone artifacts in the 1930s. Those fossils are out of 1,5 million years ago. Sangiran is a crucial site to understand human development, with all discoveries being made for this day. A museum is developed on this website for educational and tourism purposes.
How to Get to Solo and Things to do There
Surakarta is an extremely well-connected town. It may be accessed by car from virtually any part of Java Island. Solo Balapan station is served by trains from most significant cities in Java. Adisumarmo airport is connected with some domestic flights, as well as several flights out of neighboring countries.
Getting around Solo is simple enough, as the city is not too significant. It is possible to charter a becak or leases a motorcycle or a car. Walking is possible, but keep aware that this city can be sweltering during midday, and traffic congestion can be terrible at particular hours.
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