Denpasar Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Denpasar

Pura Maospahit is the most ancient temple in the city. It was constructed between the thirteenth and the fifteenth centuries in the style specific to that period. The temple was named in honor of the Balinese god Bhatara Maospahit. Unfortunately, throughout its existence, Pura Maospahit was exposed to a number of calamities which contributed to the partial destruction of the temple. The most serious one was the earthquake from the twentieth century. Yet the temple still preserves the precious architecture and the numerous statues and shrines belonging to important Hindu deities.

Puri Pemecutan, or the Pemecutan Palace, represents a seventeenth century construction, built in the period of the Pemecutan Kingdom. The architecture of the present structure is amazing; the beautiful ornamental elements and statues reflect the rich Hindu religion and Balinese culture. Visitors will be delighted to find many beautiful shrines within this temple. Nowadays Puri Pemecutan is used partly as a traditional styled hotel.

The Puputan Badung Square is Denpasar's town square. The northern side of the field is decorated with a grand statue of a woman and two men with weapons in their hands representing the start of the battle against the Dutch in 1906. The statue is surrounded by a small but pretty pond. Another attraction of this place is an enormous decorative chess board. The Puputan Badung Square is often the host of diverse national celebrations, for example the Independence Day, as well as religious events.

The Bali Provincial State Museum is a must-see for everybody visiting Denpasar. It was initially opened in 1910, but underwent renovation and opened again after a destructive earthquake in 1917. The plan for the new building was created by P.J. Moojen, a talented architect. The exterior of the museum was designed to imitate an Indonesian royal palace. The opening of the new Bali Provincial State Museum took place in 1931. There are several structures, each of them representing traditional styles of Balinese architecture from different eras. The interior exhibits a large collection of numerous artifacts, costumes, textiles, jewelery and other ancient objects representing the Balinese culture. Visitors are welcome daily from 8 am till 4 pm.

Pura Jagatnatha, also known as the Temple of the God of the Universe, is one of the grandest and most popular temples in Denpasar. The structure was raised in 1970 in honor of Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, the superior god in the Indonesian Hindu religion. The temple represents a seven tiered throne belonging to the god. The construction is entirely of limestone, except the throne, which is manufactured from authentic white coral. The temple is surrounded by a lotus pond, four splendid bridges and numerous statues representing Hindu religious figures. Currently, Pura Jagatnatha is used as a museum.

Patung Catur Muka is a very important symbol of Denpasar. The statue is situated at the intersection of four streets, in front of the mayor's office. Patung Catur Muka was established in 1973 and it is a statue of Brahma, a supreme Hindu god. Each of the four faces of the statue looks toward each direction of the compass. The statue, which is nine meters high, was created under the critical eye of the famous artist from Ubud village, I Gusti Nyoman Lempad.

Ngurah Rai Stadium is a grand stadium with fifteen thousand seats. It is designed for diverse sporting events and activities but is used most of the times for football matches and workouts. The Ngurah Rai is the home stadium of the Perseden Denpasar football team. Beside important sports events, the stadium sometimes hosts concerts and festivals.

At-Taqwa Mosque is a wonderfully designed mosque located in the center of Denpasar. Even though its architecture doesn't correspond with the majority of the city's buildings, At-Taqwa is actually quite harmonious within Denpasar's panorama. The main feature of At-Taqwa is the square roof pavilion on top of the structure. The grand building of the mosque underwent a series of renovations several years ago.

Taman Werdhi Budaya, or, as it is commonly called the Bali Arts Centre, is a top attraction for tourists visiting Denpasar. The cultural complex was opened in 1970 and since then it has hosted the annual Bali Art Festival. This event attracts visitors from all over the country and abroad. Beside the outdoor stage, many art expositions are organized within the splendid temple designed by Ida Bagus Tugur, a talented and famous Indonesian architect. Taman Werdhi Budaya hosts exhibitions promoting both modern arts and traditional Indonesian painting, wood carving, silverwork, weaving and other mediums.

The Sidik Jari Museum is a unique and unusual museum located in the center of Denpasar. The project was initiated and is still maintained by I Gusti Ngurah Gede Pemecutan, a modern Balinese painter. He established the museum approximately sixteen years ago and since then he has offered many contemporary artists the chance to show off their works, as well as the promotion of his exclusive creations representing paintings made with the tips of his fingers. Visitors are welcome to the Sidik Jari Museum from Monday till Saturday: 09.00 to 16.00.

Bajra Sandhi, which is the monument in honor of the Struggle of the Balinese people, is a very important symbol memorializing difficult moments in the history of Bali. The monument was created in 1987 but was not opened to the public until June 2003. The name of Bajra Sandhi comes from its form, which looks like a bell used by the Hindu priests when reading mantras. The monument is decorated with numerous diorama relating different periods of Balinese history. Bajra Sandhi is situated in the middle of a small park, where visitors can walk around and admire the creations by local masters.