[Travel] Yogyakarta | Good Morning Pasar Legi Kotagede

For my last day in Yogyakarta, I decide to go to Kota Gede to see the remains of the first Kingdom of Mataram Sultanate. 

A little history about Kota Gede. It was named Alas Mentaok (Land of Mentaok), a forest awarded to Ki Ageng Pemanahan (Ki Gedhe Mataram) for the defeat of a rebellion lead by Arya Penanggsang. The reward was given by the ruler of the Islamic Kingdom of Pajang, Jaka Tingkir or known as Sultan Hadiwijaya. Here, Ki Ageng Pemanahan and his adopted son, Dana Sutawaji (later known as Penembahan Senopati), opened the forest to settle. Later it was known as Bumi Mataram (Mataram Land)

Penembahan Senopati then became the sultan of Mataram after the death of Ki Ageng Pemanahan in 1575. He conquered his adopted father’s kingdom, Pajang, and establish the small town Kota Gede as the capital of Mataram.

But first, let’s go to Kota Gede’s Pasar Legi or Legi Market. I decide to explore the city by motorbike taxi (Gojek) and walking. It’s easier since it’s hard to find parking there and many streets are narrow and often traffic.

In this old quarter, the market’s name came to be because it was uniquely operated in the Javanese day market “Legi” since the 16th century.

It’s older than the last traditional marketplace I visit, Chandni Chowk, Delhi, India.

“The market is as old as the first kingdom of Mataram. In the olden days, the market moved according to the Javanese market days and cardinal direction; Legi – east, Pahing – south, Pon – west, Wage – north, Kliwon – center”.  – Source: Wikipedia

Nowadays, the market is open every day but it reaches its highest peak at the market day “Legi“. The market is part of Catur Brodo Tunggal in Javanese or four places to unite/essential into one; the Kraton (Palace) Mataram, alun-alun (people’s square), Pasar Legi (market place) and the Mataram Grand Mosque.

The new building in Pasar Legi was established in 1986.

 

Pasar Legi also have bird market here

 

If you want to find local authentic snacks and street food, you come in the right place. Gethuk, ketan, cenil, klepon, Gatot, arem-arem, etc (see this list for each food named with photo and it’s in English).

Bough sweets and kipo (Flat battered flour with coconut and Javanese sugar)

All and all, it’s a nice morning jaunt and has breakfast cheaply (other than going to Malioboro, which I avoid during the full force of long weekend holiday).

Next, we visit Pasarean Mataram, the royal cemetery of Mataram.

Yogyakarta Travel:

• [Travel] Yogyakarta | On Arrival
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | Kraton Yogyakarta, Designed by Javanese Culture and Believes
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | the House of Raminten, Peculiar and Eclectic Style.
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | Prambanan, The Legend of the Cursed Princess and the Gods
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | Candi Ijo, City Overview from the Highest Temple in Yogyakarta
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | The Beauty Queen, Ratu Boko
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | Heavenly Sunrise from Punthuk Setumbu
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | Borobudur, Largest 3D Narrative of Buddha’s Journey to Enlightenment
• [Travel] Yogyakarta |Taman Sari, Leasure complex for the Sultan and His Concubines
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | The Two-Face of Jogjakarta Art – Tradition Meet Modern Art
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | Affandi, The Expressionist Painter and the Earliest Advertiser  in Indonesia
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | Good Morning Pasar Legi Kotagede
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | The Last Resting Place for The Mataram Sultans at Kotagede
• [Travel] Yogyakarta | The Remnants of the Mataram Sultanate at Kota Gede