TRACES OF TRANSCENDENTAL SPACE AS COMPONENTS TO PRESERVE YOGYAKARTA PALACE’S MEANING

Yogyakarta Special Region is one of the provinces in Indonesia. Yogyakarta Palace is a royal palace complex of Mataram which was founded more than two centuries ago by Prince Mangkubumi. Up to the present time, Yogyakarta Palace has remained vigorous in the midst of changes in social, political and cultural systems. This research aims to explore the symbolic meaning embodied in Yogyakarta Palace and examine its persistence. This study applies the emic approach through inductive processes. The method utilized is symbolic interaction through observation, examination and interviews with abdi dalem (cultural servants/courtiers) of the palace and reviewing related ancient manuscripts. In general, the palace comprises constelative meanings about : spiritual self approach to the Creator, sharing with others, greatness of king and hope for salvation and prosperity. The results of the study signify that there are two essential factors to maintain meaning, which are transcendental space artifacts and continuity of ritual activities. The architecture of Yogyakarta Palace is described in text, which are pieces of advice about the importance of balance and harmony in life to obtain happiness.