Ratu Boko Site, The Ancient Tourism Park in Central Java

INDEPHEDIA.com - Ratu Baka (Boko) or Boko Temple site is a complex of ancient sites and historical attractions with a number of remaining buildings located about 3 kilometers south of the Prambanan Temple complex, 18 kilometers east of Yogyakarta City or 50 kilometers west City of Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia.

Administratively, this site is in the area of ​​two hamlets, namely Dawung Hamlet, Bokoharjo Village and Sumberwatu Hamlet, Sambireja Village, Prambanan District, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The central government incorporated the Ratu Boko Site complex into a special authority, together with the management of Borobudur and Prambanan Temples in a state-owned company called PT Taman Wisata Candi, after the latter two were included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

As a consequence, the Ratu Boko Site was reorganized in several places to be used as a place for education and cultural activities. There are additional buildings in front of the gate, namely restaurants and open spaces (Plaza Andrawina) that can be used for meeting activities with a capacity of about 500 people, with vista to the north (Prambanan District and Mount Merapi). In addition, the manager provides campsites and trekking, archeological educational packages, and tour guides.

The name "Ratu Boko" comes from the legend of the local community. Ratu Boko (Javanese, literal meaning: "King of the Stork") is the father of Loro Jonggrang, who is also the name of the main temple in the Prambanan Temple complex. This building complex is associated with local folk legend Loro Jonggrang.

In contrast to other ancient relics from the ancient Javanese era that are generally in the form of religious buildings, the Ratu Boko site is a profane complex, complete with entrances, pavilion, dwellings, bathing pools, to protective fences.

In contrast to other palaces in Java which were generally erected in relatively sloping areas, the Ratu Boko site is located on a rather high hill. The Ratu Boko site is located on a hill at an altitude of 196 meters above sea level with an overall area of ​​about 25 hectares.

Ratu Boko is thought to have been used by people in the 8th century during the Sailendra Dynasty (Rakai Panangkaran) of the Medang Kingdom (Hindu Mataram). Judging from the pattern of laying the remains of buildings, it is strongly suspected that this site is a former palace (royal palace).

This opinion is based on the fact that this complex is not a temple or a building with a religious nature, but a fortified palace with evidence of the remaining walls of the castle and dry moat as a defense structure. Residents of residential settlements are also found around the location of this site. (WS.IN/ENG/*)