Dictionary of islamic architecture

particular ritual significance and were built as
symbolic representations of the cosmos with the king
at the centre. The typical layout of the complexes
reflects this symbolism with a central area
surrounded by symmetrically arranged courtyards.
The design of the palaces was fairly conservative and
new palaces were built as copies of older palaces
and were called ‘putra’, sons of the old palace. The
palace of a particular dynasty formed the capital of
a state — when the palace was abandoned and
moved elsewhere the status of capital moved with
it, and the former site reverted to the status of village.
The Islamic palaces may be classified into two main
groups: the six palaces of the Mataram dynasty, who
replaced the Majapahit kings in the sixteenth century;
and the palaces of the earlier Islamic kingdoms of
Banten and Cirebon. In addition there were a few
palaces and lesser palatial centres including the rebel
palaces at Kediri and Pasuruhan and the courts at
Demak and Giri.
The oldest Islamic palace in Java is the Kraton
Kasepuhan (Palace of the Senior Sultan) built in 1529
by the Cirebon dynasty. This palace has a circular
outer enclosure 
(beteng)
which together with its
J

---

132
monumental gates and pillar bases shows a marked
affinity with the palaces of the pre-Islamic Majapahit
kings. Another early palace is that of the Banten
dynasty known as the Kraton Surasowan built
between 1552 and 1570. The palace is largely ruined,
but remains of the rectangular outer enclosure wall
with four corner towers survive, as well as a bathing
fountain.
The most impressive palaces were those of the
Mataram dynasty built between the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries. Not much survives of the
three earliest of these palaces known as Kutha
Gedhe, Kerta and Plered, although there are
substantial remains of the fourth capital Kartasura
abandoned in 1746. Remains at Kartasura include
the outer enclosure wall 
(beteng)
and the inner
kraton wall both of which are made of baked red
brick. However, the earliest palace of which there
are extensive remains is the kraton of Kasunanan
Surakarta built in 1746. This palace consists of an
outer enclosure wall 
(beteng)
6 m high enclosing a
rectangular area 1.8 km long by 1 km wide. The
enclosure contains the inner palace in the centre and
around it on either side accommodation for the
palace staff and courtiers. The palace is arranged on
a north-south axis with a walled courtyard 
(alun-
alun)
projecting on both the north and south sides.
The north courtyard measured 300 m per side and
was the main square of the town and centre of royal
events. It was entered via a gateway in its north
wall, guarded by two monster statues robbed from
a nearby Hindu temple; in the centre of the
courtyard were two sacred banyan trees. The south
courtyard was smaller and of less importance, it
contained the palace orchard and its main function
seems to have been to preserve the symmetry of
the north-south axis. A gateway at the back of the
north courtyard 
(alun-alun)
led into a smaller
courtyard within the palace walls; this was the outer
audience hall where the king dealt with the public. A
further gateway led into two more courtyards opening
on to the central courtyard of the palace which
functioned as a private audience court. To the west of
this was a large building known as the ‘Dalem
Prabasuyasa’, or inner palace, which contained the
ritual symbols of kingship. Either side of the central
axis were residential areas: to the west the area for
women and children