Surakarta palace built by Pakubowono II in 1745 AD. Previous capital of the palace is in Kartasura, which is approximately 12 km west of Solo. Keraton Surakarta has Art Gallery which stores various historic objects that have artistic value and high historical. Some collections are carriages, shadow puppets and objects relics. Keraton Surakarta opened to the public every day at 8:30 a.m. to 14:00 and Sunday at 08:30 to 13:00. Kraton is closed on Fridays.
Physically Keraton Surakarta building consists of a main building and the environment supporting such as the gate called Gladag to the South. Then there are two square to the north and south of the palace complex. Also there is the Grand Mosque and the famous Batik Market Pasar Klewer.

Such permanent records are crucial to the planning of effective maintenance, restoration and renovation program. In the event of unplanned intervention such as fire, the archival record will provide evidence for the planning of the building restoration, thus reducing the potential for conjectural alteration (Blumenson and Taylor, 1990).

The society is a reflection of its cultural heritage. The built environment epitomizes this in form of cultural properties which tell the story behind the cultural heritage. The temporal stratification of the built milieu and the national symbolic buildings help in the understanding of societal changes and the processes of change (Niskala, 2007). Taylor (2000) defined culture as that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as members of the society. Kroeber (2000) put it as the mass of learned and transmitted motor reactions, habits, techniques, ideas and values and the behaviour they induce. Leach (2000) defined culture as the component of accumulated resources which could be immaterial as well as material, which the people inherit, employ, transmute or add to and transmit.

 

There are so many problems being faced by attempts to maintain cultural heritage sites. Aradeon (1996) listed some of these problems to include inadequate professionals and the closeness of these sites to urban centres thereby making the land occupied by them to attract high value for alternative investment. The major problems confronting the maintenance of cultural properties revealed by the study are related to religion and finance.

Repair cost of a heritage home is usually higher than a modern home. Some common conditions seen in a home of ‘AGE’ are

  • – maintenance problems such as peeling paints and foundation cracks;
  • – minor structural problems such as crack plaster to small movement in the foundation;
  • – drainage and grading problems due to the installation of new roof gutter;
  • – insufficient electrical system;
  • – poorly installed plumbing;
  • – older leaking roof;
  • – older heating and cooling system;
  • – poor ventilation: excessive moisture from un-vented bathrooms and cooking areas causing damaged plaster and deteriorated windows; and
  • – Excessive air leakage (http://www.altechconsultinggroup.com).

Maintenance finance

Maintenance is essential for the conservation of cultural properties. Those who participate in the maintenance of cultural properties include individuals, non-governmental organizations, religious bodies and all the three tiers of government.

Heritage clients and users increasingly need to know their likely financial commitment before work commences. This early-stage cost advice can establish realistic budget for decision making (Smith, 2005). The cost of maintenance of a heritage building is high. The private owners have merger resources and in many cases belong to old families having no steady source of income. It is therefore difficult for them to maintain these properties (Mandal, 2004). The increasing abandonment of these properties by those who were originally responsible for them informed the need for government, NGOs and religious bodies’ participation in their maintenance. Most of these groups maintain the sites through contributions made by their members.

Keraton Surakarta entrust its assets to Indonesia government in order to be used by sharing profit system. “However, over time Sinuhun left just like that,” he complained. In fact, the palace still has to finance the maintenance of the palace, traditional ceremonies, and pat the courtier’s salary.

Kasunanan power was waning as their merger with government. As a result, he said, the palace could not afford the cost of maintenance of the palace which is actually the cultural heritage building that must be protected.

The Palace that once is the residence of courtiers, now empty and unkempt, because it is no longer occupied. Instead of taking care of the building, to hire the courtiers alone, said KGPH Puger

More or less similar conditions experienced by other palaces and other kingdoms, for example Kanoman Cirebon palace.

The gate of Kanoman that opened during Grebeg syawal event havs faded colors. The atmosphere inside the main building of the palace was also filled with moss-covered walls. The objects in museums, ornamental carvings, many unkempt, dull and dusty. Plasterboard obsolete, even some are broken.

Even the development of the city that do not pay attention to spatial aspects, so the location of The Kanoman is hidden and surrounded by other buildings. To get into Kanoman, visitors must enter from the Market Kanoman that appears dirty and full of traders.

Praktis, kini keraton-keraton mengandalkan dana dari pemerintah untuk membiayai hidupnya. Keraton Surakarta, misalnya, mendapatkan subsidi dari Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Daerah untuk memenuhi kebutuhan operasional, termasuk untuk membayar listrik telepon dan air.

Practically, the palaces now rely on funds from the government to finance. Keraton Surakarta, for example, receives subsidies from the Budget of the Region to meet operational needs, including telephone to pay for electricity and water.

Seeing this situation there must be an attention from all stakeholders, we have obligation to our ancestor to safe Kanoman palace.2015724112314 2015724105700 2015724105845 2015724110559 2015724110905 2015724112245