Tirta Gangga, the Royal Water Palace, is a maze of pools and fountains surrounded by a lush garden with stone carvings and statues. The water palace spans approximately 1.3 hectares and is a well-known cultural attraction in Bali that belongs to the royal family of Karangasem. Its name comes from two words: “Tirta,” which means “holy water,” and “Gangga,” the great and sacred river in India.
The history of Tirta Gangga
The history of Tirta Gangga dates back to Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, who was inspired by the natural springs and beauty of the area and decided to create a recreational facility for the benefit of his people, to ensure there was always enough water for rice cultivation in the fields. In 1948, he began the project of the water palace and irrigation systems, which he enjoyed designing and building himself, often working alongside the laborers. He was loved and respected by his people for his closeness to them.
However, the construction and improvement of the water palace were interrupted by the eruption of Mount Agung, which lasted from February to September 1963. The series of eruptions and earthquakes occurred for several months, and the lava and hot ash killed all the vegetation in the palace. The foundation and many statues were damaged and destroyed. Additionally, during this time, while the royal family was hiding in a safe place on the island, there was also vandalism, and many things were stolen, including furniture, windows, tiles, pipes, Chinese porcelain, flower pots, and even statues.
Ten months after the eruption of Mount Agung, King Karangasem returned to find his beautiful palace in ruins and looted. At that time, the kingdom did not have enough resources to rebuild the building, and in 1966, the creator of the palace passed away. The restoration of the palace was postponed for a very long time, and it was only in 1979 that work began to restore the water palace, which was carried out with the donations collected. In 1990, a more comprehensive restoration of the palace began, which continues to this day.
The sculptural ensemble of Tirta Gangga embodies the meaning of Balinese Hinduism: physically, the water palace is divided into three levels that are located at different heights and symbolize the universe, where there is Swah – the higher world of the gods, Bwah – the world of humans, and Bhur – the lower world of demons. In the central part of the water palace, there is a fountain surrounded by Hindu gods, and the fountain itself symbolizes the highest one god.
In the part where the swimming pool is now located, there used to be statues of people symbolizing the world of humans before the eruption of Mount Agung in 1963 and the destruction of the complex. The labyrinth with numerous statues of animals and evil spirits located near the main entrance symbolizes the underworld of demons.
Photographs of the Tirta Gangga Water Palace
And at the end of our walk through the picturesque palace, we always take a look at the water procedures in the springs located right on the territory of Tirta Gangga. The water there is very pleasant, with two large springs and one small one. We highly recommend it to everyone! ?
It is believed that the source of water in Tirta Gangga is not ordinary (like everything in Bali), but rather magical and healing. The water flows directly from the sacred peak of Mount Agung.
After water treatments, I recommend visiting the very pleasant Tirta Ayu restaurant, which is also located on the palace grounds. The restaurant belongs to the descendants of the royal family and they try to “maintain the brand”. In any case, it is nice to have a juice or a cup of coffee with a view of the Tirta Gangga water palace.
The Tirta Gangga water palace is located amidst rice fields, around the natural springs of Rejasa, approximately 7 km north of the city of Amlapura. The coordinates on Google Maps are (-8.411917, 115.587444). The adult ticket price to the Tirta Gangga water palace is 30,000 Indonesian rupiahs. There are wonderful springs on the water park’s grounds where it is very pleasant to cool off in the heat. The springs consist of two large pools and one small pool. The cost is paid in addition to the entrance tickets, which is 10,000 rupiahs. You can visit the Tirta Gangga water palace as part of an organized excursion to the East of the island (click on the picture below).
What to see nearby: Ujung Water Palace, White Sand Beach or Virgin Beach (considered the most beautiful beach in Bali), Charlie’s Chocolate Factory, Pura Besakih temple, Pura Pasar Agung temple, Lempuyang temple.
Near the entrance of the palace, there are several warungs, and in one of them, you can take a photo with a monitor lizard, python, and owls. The food prices at the warung with animals are very budget-friendly.
