Bintaran was an alternative settlement region for Dutch staying in Indonesia evolving after the Loji Kecil (Small Loji) was not adequate anymore. The location is not far from Loji Kecil that various facilities could be accessed easily from here. Just like the typical building if Javanese-Dutch style, the buildings here have thick walls, tall main door and tall windows. Not only the residence of Dutch, this are also favourite place for Javanese Royal Families. Now this area is used as architecture laboratory for several universities.
Before evolving as Indisch settlemet, Bintaran was known as the location od Ndakem Mandara Giri, the house of Pangeran Haryon Bintoro, one of the descendant of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat. This settlement estimated to evolve since 1930s marked by the property, church, and jail construction. Dutch resided in Bintaran were officers and sugar factory employees.
Just like other Indisch village, this region is rich of Europan buildings, though it has distinct style than buildings in Loji Kecil or Kota Baru Region. The yard of buildings here are more spacious, while the front part of the houses are smaller in size, they have more pillars and the front doors are in krepyak style, and the inner door is completed with glass.
The building that is enchanting architecturally and they are interesting historically in this area is Ndalem Mandara Giri. Its architecture is a blend of Dutch and Javanese.
Ciri Jawa terlihat dari adanya pendopo yang bahan-bahannya khusus didatangkan dari Demak pada tahuicallyn 1908. Sementara, ciri bangunan Belanda terlihat dari ruangan yang lebar dan berdinding tinggi serta jendela khas Belanda yang besar dan memiliki dua daun. After left by Pangeran Haryo Bintoro, the building was utilized as keris room exhibition, and after that it was empty since 1997. Other historic building is Sasmotaloka, located on the left of Jalan Bintaran. It was built in 1890, used as the residence of Puro Paku Alam accountant, Wijnschenk. It was also the home office of General Soedirman, and later as the residence of Kompi Tukul after the independence.
Biology Museum that is situated at Jalan Sultan Agung was utilized as the residence of Pakualaman Military Inspector. The house of Henry Paul Sagers is currently used as Fire Fighters Quarter. The current Wirogunan prison was old dutch prison.
The church of Bintaran is very unique, as the church was built according to a Javanese idea of uncomfortable of the way H van Driessche SJ, a Dutch-Indonesian, who was in charge for the construction of the church, prayed. The church was erected in 1931, and called as St Joseph Church, in related with the prayer of Driessche to Santo Yusuf when he was in difficulty finding the location for the church.