Kings in the past adhered centralist. Delivering tribute to kingdom, for every regency, was an imperative. King was the main concern of folks, that even the cemetery was prepared far away days when the kings are alive.

The mystical and majestic blends when entering Imogiri, cemetery of Mataram Kingdom Kings. This cemetery was built in 1632 by Sultan Mataram III Prabu Hanyokrokusumo, the descendant of Panembahan Senopati, The first King of Mataram. Imogiri located on the south of Jogja, only 45 minutes from the city, on a hill on Sewu Mounts cluster.

A nice mosque is situated close to the entrance, where the deceased body placed for prayer before funeral. From the mosque, then the deceased taken through 454 stairways with 454 steps. There are 3 section in this cemetery, Bangsal Sapit Urang, is a section of officials of Jogja Palace, second is Bangsal Hamengkubuwono for Jogja Royal Family and Bangsal Pakubuwono for royal family of Solo Palace. In the era of Amangkurat V (1677), Mataram was split to Kasunanan Pakubuwono (Solo) and Kasultanan Yogyakarta (Jogja) by Giyanti Treaty.

The main cemetery is the cemetery of Sri Paduka Sultan Hanyokrokusumo, Amangkurat II, Amangkurat III, with their queens. The left wings consist of Pakubuwono I, Amangkurat Jawi, Pakubuwono III, and the right wing is the queens of solo,and Pakubuwono III with his queen & concubines.

Kings or Mataram are familiarly related to a myth of Nyai Roro Kidul, the queen of the southern sea. The founder of Mataram, Panembahan Senopati, that meditated at the southern coast. The queen felt his power that she saw him and promised to help him and Mataram. Believe it or not.

Visiting the cemetery is like looking back to the past, seeing how wealth, position, throne and women. Imogiri delineates the life of Mataram kings then and now, including how in the past a king can have numerous concubines, but now this lifestyle is adapted to the modern world.