Krapyak region was a very lush forest, located on the south of Sultan Palace, Jogja. This lush forest were home for wildlife, and the most popular is deer. Mataram kings used to hunt in this forest.
The second kind of Islam Mataram, Prabu Hanyokrowati, the son of Panembahan Senopati, loved to hunt there. Oneday, in 1613, he got an accident while hunting, and died there. He was then buried in Kotagede and titled as panembahan Seda Krapyak or king who died in Krapyak forest.
Pangeran Mangkubumi (Sultan Hamengkubuwono I) loved to hunt there as well, he erected panggung krapyak (Krapyak Stage), after 140 years of Prabu Hanyokrowati death. Panggung Krapyak can be reached from south Alun-alun, through Plengkung Gading, and DI Panjaitan st, it is located right on street.
Panggung Krapyak is rectangle with size of 17.6 meters times 15 meters and height 10 m, made of red brick, layered with cement. The color is dark, shows its age, but it still stands strong, though few parts were damaged by a quake in 27 May 2006.
The architecture is interesting, as every building side has 1 entrance and 2 hole, functioned as door and window that are not completed with door or window to open and close. The bottom of the door/entrance and window has angle, while the upper side is curve, resemple shape of mosque window. The building has 2 floors. first floor has 4 rooms and short hallway connects to doors from each side. On sunny day, the light will penetrate to the first floor through the door and window.
On the upper wall, there is a big hole where kings can spy from the 2nd floor. This hole was protected by roof on the outside to avoid rain water. This building shows the comfortable life of kings, even when they were hunting, they were secure from dangerous animal, rain and heat.
The building is also considered as defense building, as enemy came from the south can be monitored from here, so preliminary warning can be conveyed to palace if any assault came. Warriors were assigned to stand by here, trained to hunt and martial art.
This building is located on imaginay line of Jogja, connects Mt Merapi, Tugu Jogja, Sultan palace, Krapyak and southern sea.