Surakarta

Surakarta, kota (city), eastern Central Java (Jawa Tengah) propinsi (or provinsi; province), Indonesia. It lies along the Solo River about 35 miles (55 km) northeast of Yogyakarta. Once the capital of Surakarta principality under the Dutch, it was occupied by Japan (1942–45) during World War II and was later incorporated into the Indonesian republic.

The city has broad tree-lined streets and numerous historic buildings, including most notably a palace (1745; of the susuhunan, one of the traditional princes of central Java), a prince’s court (1788; that of the mangkunegaran, another traditional ruler), and a Dutch fort (1779; now a garrison headquarters). Renowned as an educational and cultural centre, Surakarta contains the University of Sebelas Maret, which was created in 1976 by consolidating five existing institutions. The city also has several museums, an archive, and a number of libraries, some with various text and multimedia collections available in digital format.

The city is a market for the surrounding densely populated agricultural area, which produces tobacco, sugar, rice, coconuts, fruits and vegetables, and cassava. The making of batik cloth is a main industry, as are the manufacture of cigarettes, furniture, and textiles; there is also metal casting and jewelry making. Local handicrafts include pottery making, wood and bone carving, and the making of musical instruments. The city is an important cultural centre for central Javanese dance, music, and literature and is linked by road, rail, and air to the rest of Java. Pop. (2010) 499,337.