As the former capital and the center of several kingdoms in the past, Yogyakarta and its people are very rich in its cultural heritage. Civilization, art and culture had developed respectively in the era of the ancient Mataram Kingdom (17th - 18th century), and the Sultanate Ngayogyakarto from the mid of 18th century up to today. It should be noted that the cultural heritage from the past includes the magnificent temples, the ruins of palaces and monasteries, the various kind of traditions, cultural events, traditional folk and performing arts, architecture and other traditional activities.
It is important to note that this is all part of the living culture of Yogyakarta and color of daily activities of live and behavior of the local inhabitants, particularly the Javanese community with its traditional way of life and customs . Therefore, because of its culture richness and heritage, Yogyakarta has long been known as the cradle of Javanese culture.