Surakarta

Keraton (Palace) Kasunanan is also called Surakarta Hadiningrat Palace was built in 1745 by Sultan Paku Buwono II. It started with the construction of Mataram Palace to replace the palace at Kartasura which was destroyed in the 1742’s rebellion of the Chinese people against the power of Pakubuwono II, ruler at Kartasura. With the assistance of VOC the rebellion was squashed. Kartasura was retaken, but the palace was already destroyed and considered desecrated. Pakubuwono II then ordered Tumenggung (Minister) Honggowongso and Tumenggung Mangkuyudo and the Dutch commander J.A.B. van Hohendorff to find a location for the new capital of Mataram Kingdom.
A new palace was then built on a site, 20 km South East of Kartasura, in 1745, at Sala Village, on the banks of the River Bengawan Solo. It was later renamed, Surakarta. (Old manuscripts mentioned, “Salakarta”). According to archives, the new palace was built using teak wood from Kethu Forest, a forest near Wonogiri city, and the logs were drifted to the site through the river. The new palace was officially taken in use on February 17, 1745.