Panggung Krapyak, where the Kings Went Hunting

It was told that Krapyak area, which is now located to the south of Yogyakarta Kingdom, was a dense forest. There were various kinds of wild animals, one of them was deer or in Javanese language it is called menjangan. It is not surprising that this area was used as a place to go hunting by the kings of Mataram.

Raden Mas Jolang who was called Prabu Hanyokrowati, the second king of Islamic Mataram Kingdom and the son of Panembahan Senopati, was one of the kings utilizing the Krapyak Forest as a hunting place. In 1613, he got an accident while hunting and died here. He was buried in Kotagede and was named Panembahan Seda Krapyak (that means the king that died in Krapyak Forest).

The other king who was fond of hunting in Krapyak Forest was Pangeran Mangkubumi (Sultan Hamengku Buwono I). He constructed Panggung Krapyak 140 years after the demise of Prabu Hanyokrowati in this forest. Panggung Krapyak is a historical sign telling that Krapyak area was functioned as a hunting area in the past. If you are interested, you may visit the place by going southwards as far as 3 kilometers from the South Square or Alun-Alun Kidul, passing through Plengkung Gading and D.I Panjaitan Road. When you get there, you will see Panggung Krapyak in the middle of the street.

The architecture of this building is unique. Each side has one door and one window. The door and the window are without shutters. The base of the door and the window is square while the top part is arch as the design of the doors and windows of a mosque. In front of the door, there is one stair in the form of half-rounded.

Panggung Krapyak is divided into two floors. The ground floor functions as an entrance while the first floor functions as a hunting place. The two floors were connected by a wooden ladder that could be positioned in southwest and southeast parts of this building to enable the king to ascend it. Now, the ladder is not available so that we cannot access the first floor.

This building describes the comfort that the king obtained, even when he went hunting. The high building provides feeling of comfort and secure for the king; he should not have to worry to be attacked by wild animals while looking out the targets. The first floor is also a secure, wide, open place that is bordered with hollow walls of medium height. There might be the roof on the building but it disappears now.

In addition to functioning as a hunting place, some people tell that Panggung Krapyak also functioned as defending post of the Kingdom. From this place, the movement of the enemies from south direction could be detected to tell the Yogyakarta Kingdom if there would be an attack. Some soldiers were on guard in this post.

To the east of the stage, there is a pond that local people call it umbul. Unfortunately, the condition of the pond is not that good.

Visiting Panggung Krapyak means visiting one of the important buildings of Yogyakarta Kingdom. Panggung Krapyak is located in the imaginary line of Yogyakarta, connecting the Merapi Mountain, Tugu Jogja, Yogyakarta Kingdom, Panggung Krapyak and the South Ocean.