Puri Agung Kanginan, Amlapura

On the road to Ujung is the late 19th century princely palace of Puri Agung Kanginan. Although part of it was destroyed in the 1963 earthquakes it is still well worth a visit.The palace consists of three parts. In the first part, called Bengingah, the traditional festivals were held; in the second are the gardens; and in the third and innermost part are the residential apartments of the princely family.The palace complex, which is rather crowded with buildings, is entered through a gate on a square base, guarded by lions. Beyond the ticket office, to the right, is another gate leading into the gardens and then into the main palace precinct. On the right is an artificial pond with a pavilion, the Bale Kambang, and to the left of this another bale decorated with numerous scenes from the "Ramayana".Within the main palace precinct are a number of notable buildings. The Bale London (so called because of the British royal crest on the furniture) has richly carved doors and well preserved (or restored) paintings on the outer walls and in the interior (explanatory leaflet obtainable at ticket office) and contains the instruments of a gamelan orchestra, which could be played only in presence of the Raja. Beside the Bale London is the Bale Pemandesan, in which the ritual tooth-filing was performed on the Raja's children. The Puri Madura (Audience Hall), also known as the Maskerdam, can accommodate 150 people. It has been closed since the death of the last occupant, Prince A. A. Angurah Ketut Karangasem, in 1966, but it is possible to look in through the windows. Outside the palace complex, across the main road, are a number of other buildings, some of which belong to the Puri Agung, others to two old palaces, the Puri Gede and Puri Kertasura. Some of the buildings were destroyed by earthquakes.