Architecture or building art in the Central Java

 Architecture or building art in the Central Java province is grouped into two, namely:



a. Traditional Architecture, namely the original Javanese building art which is still alive and well in Javanese society.

The science that studies the art of building by the Javanese community is commonly called Kalang Science or also known as Wong Kalang. Which is the main building in Javanese building art, there are 5 (five) types, namely:



- Bake-pe, which is a building with only one side roof.

- Kampung, which is a building with a roof on two sides, a ridge in the middle only.

- Limasan, namely a building with a roof on 4 sides, a ridge in the middle.

- Joglo or Tikelan, which is a building with a Soko Guru and a 4-sided roof, a ridge in the middle.

- Tajug or mosque, which is a building with a Soko Guru roof on 4 sides, without ridges, so it is tapered.



Each form develops into various types and variations which are not only related to differences in size, but also to the situation and conditions of the local area. Of the five main types of Javanese house buildings, when there is a merger of 5 types of buildings, various forms of Javanese houses occur. For example: gedang selirang, gedang setangkep, cere gencet, synom joglo symbol of hanging, and others.



According to the Javanese view of life, the forms of the house have their own characteristics and uses. For example the form of the Tajug, it is always only used for sacred buildings, for example for the building of mosques, tombs, and the place of the king's throne, so that the Javanese community could not possibly make the house where they lived in the form of a Tajug.

Complete houses often have specific forms and uses, including:



- the gate: the form of the village

- pendopo: joglo form

- pringgitan: pyramid shape

- dalem: joglo form

- Gandhok (left-right): a form of hoe gowang

- kitchen: village form

- and others.



But for people who cannot afford it it will not be like that. By itself, a house in the shape of a doro gepak (the roof of a building that looks like a pigeon flapping its wings), for example, its parts are used for certain purposes, for example:

- Front porch: for Pendopo

- living room: for a family gathering place

- Right-left patio: for Middle Senthong and Left-Right Senthong

- Other patio: for warehouse and kitchen.



In some coastal areas there are also classified houses.

This is intended as a precaution when there is a flood.

In Javanese building art because it is so advanced, all parts of the house frame have been given certain names, such as: ander, dudur, brunjung, usuk peniyung, usuk ri-gereh, batten, blandar, pengeret, saka guru, saka responders, umpak , etc. 

The building material for Javanese houses is made of teak wood. Traditional Javanese architecture is very popular not only in Java itself but to reach foreign countries. The Indonesian Embassies in Singapore and Malaysia as well as Soekarno-Hatta Airport have traditional Javanese architecture.

Javanese traditional architecture must be seen as the totality of a statement of life that departs from the etiquette of placing the Javanese self, norms and values ​​of Javanese people with all the natural conditions of the environment. This architecture basically displays the work of "self-help in togetherness" which wisely utilizes every local potential and resource and creates a harmonious harmony between the "little universe" (microcosm) and "jagad gedhe" (macrocosm).

Basically traditional Javanese architecture - like Bali and other areas - is courtyard architecture surrounded by a fence. What is called a complete house is often not a single building with solid walls but a courtyard which contains a group of building units with different functions. The inner and outer spaces impact each other without firm boundaries. The structure of the building is a frame structure with wooden construction, like an open-fixed umbrella. The wall of the room is just a dividing curtain, not a bearer wall. What is also very interesting to reveal is that the structure is shown in a clear, fair and honest manner without any attempt to cover it up. Likewise, the building materials are all allowed to show their original character. In addition, Javanese architecture has a fairly reliable resistance to earthquakes.

The roof of the building always uses a wide tritisan, which greatly protects the veranda or overhanging space under it. Such layout and structure is suitable for tropical climates that often experience earthquakes and suitable for human life who has a personality like being in the open air. Relieved yard with sand or gravel pavement is very useful for rainwater absorption. Meanwhile, trees that are planted often have a multi-function function, namely as a shade, a dust filter, a wind and sound damper, as well as a source of food for humans and animals, and they are often used for traditional medicine.

The main sources for getting to know Javanese building art for the Central Java region are the Surakarta Kraton and the Mangkunegaran Palace. Also the remains of ancient tombs and ancient mosques such as the Demak Mosque, the Holy Mosque with its special style tower, Demak Tomb, Kadilangu Tomb, Mengadeg Tomb, etc.

In addition to the original Javanese building art in the form of residential buildings, there are also Javanese building arts from the Sanjayawangça and Syailendrawangça era, during their reign in Central Java. Buildings at that time usually used river stone building materials, some also used red stone, wooden materials whose remains we don't see anymore, but maybe there used to be.