Kertha Gosa Pavilion

Kertha Gosa is one of the finest surviving pieces of Bali’s royal architecture, set in the heart of Semarapura, the capital of Klungkung regency. It is part of the grounds of the former Puri Semarapura, palace of the Dewa Agung, the kings of Klungkung, who held the highest status among Bali’s rajas. Two pavilions remain: the Kertha Gosa itself, a raised open hall where the court of justice sat, and the Bale Kambang, a “floating” pavilion surrounded by a lotus-filled moat.

The star attraction is the ceiling art. Both pavilions are covered with painted panels in the Kamasan style, a classical form of Balinese painting named after a nearby village, in which figures resemble wayang shadow puppets.

History & meaning

The palace was founded in the late 17th century (traditionally dated to 1686) by Dewa Agung Jambe after the royal court moved from Gelgel. In 1908 the Dutch colonial army attacked Klungkung, and the king, his family and followers chose a puputan, a ritual fight to the death, rather than surrender. Much of the palace was destroyed; the pavilions and the palace gate survived. The Puputan Klungkung Monument opposite commemorates the event. The Kertha Gosa ceilings were used as a moral lesson: tiers of panels depict the punishments awaiting wrongdoers in the afterlife and the rewards of heaven, so defendants would sit beneath scenes of what their crimes might bring. The paintings have been restored and repainted several times in the 20th century.

How to visit

• Buy tickets at the entrance; the ticket usually covers the pavilions, garden and the small Semarajaya museum on site.
• Look up: the Kertha Gosa panels are arranged in rows, from hell scenes at the bottom to heavenly scenes at the top. The Bale Kambang ceiling tells other epic tales.
• The museum displays royal artefacts, old photographs and exhibits about the 1908 puputan.
• Across the road is the Puputan monument and the busy Klungkung market, good for textiles and Kamasan paintings.

Etiquette & dress

Kertha Gosa isn’t a temple, but it’s a revered heritage site. Dress modestly, don’t climb onto the raised pavilion platforms unless permitted, and don’t touch the painted panels. Photography is allowed; flash is not needed in daylight. Be mindful that nearby temples in the palace compound may hold ceremonies.

A local guide can decode the ceiling stories panel by panel, which brings the paintings to life. If you’re interested in the art form, continue to Kamasan village, where families still paint in the traditional style.

The garden around the Bale Kambang, with its moat of lotus and water lilies, is a pleasant place to sit in the shade before moving on.

Combine it with

• Kamasan village, home of the painting tradition, 10 minutes south.
• Pura Goa Lawah, the bat-cave temple, 15 minutes east.
• Pura Besakih, about 40 minutes north.
• Sidemen valley for rice-terrace walks.