The old palace (puri), visible through a gate, is in the middle of town facing the 'alun-alun'. Still a private residence, prior permission is required to visit. First built in 1771 on the site of a priest's house, it barely survived a number of 19th-century wars, but was destroyed by the 1917 earthquake.
Rebuilt in the 1920s, it's one of the few traditional and best preserved Balinese palaces still existing, and one of few still lived in by a royal family. Its spacious courtyards are decorated with stonework and carved wood pillars. Visit the western courtyard, with its two impressive gates and gilded bale. In the 'alun-alun' stands a 'waringin' tree, an all-important symbol of Balinese and Javanese royal courts.
There's a thriving 'art market' everyday where you can bargain for just about any arts and crafts product made on the island, and a few that aren't. A woodcarving-training center is in Abianbase a few blocks from Gianyar's police station. |
