[1] It was one of the monarch's first acts after the signing of the Treaty of Giyanti, which recognized the creation of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta under the Dutch East India Company.

[1] A banyan forest, protected from flooding due to its location between two rivers, was chosen as the site for the palace.

[1] On 20 June 1812, Sir Stamford Raffles led a 1,200-strong British and Irish force to attack the walled royal city of Yogyakarta.

[2] Most of the current palace was built by Sultan Hamengkubuwono VIII (who reigned from 1921 to 1939) and was rebuilt after earthquakes in 1876 and 2006.

His architectural expertise was appreciated by the Dutch scientist Theodoor Gautier Thomas Pigeaud and Lucien Adam, who considered him a worthy successor of Pakubuwono II (founder of the Surakarta Sunanate).

Behind (or in front of) a gate in Javanese architecture is usually an insulating wall (Renteng or Baturono), sometimes with a distinctive, traditional ornament.

The wooden buildings of the complex have a traditional Javanese architectural style, decorated with flora, fauna, or nature motifs.

[1] The palace hosts gamelan (music), Javanese dance, macapat (poetry), and wayang (shadow puppetry) performances.