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Palaces and Temples in Ubud - Bali Cultural Holidays
In the cooler, higher areas of central Bali, Ubud has staked a claim as the cultural capital of Bali. Holiday packages to Ubud are famous for its traditional arts and crafts, its superb galleries and exquisite food, but above all, Ubud is renowned for its many traditional Balinese temples and palaces.
Ubud has been the seat of Balinese royalty for over a hundred years, and the princes (who employ the titles of ‘Tjokorda’ or ‘Agung’) still maintain their traditional residences in Ubud, in palaces known as ‘puris’, and are still highly active in their traditional ceremonial roles. The most famous of these include Puri Saren and Ubud Palace in the heart of Ubud itself, and their splendid ornamentation is a spectacular drawcard for cultural tourists.
Ubud also offers many fascinating temples for the visitor to behold to the north of Ubud is the Pura Marajan Agung, famous for its brilliant ornamental gates, and this is the private temple of the royal family. Meanwhile the Pura Desa Ubud is the main public temple for the rest of the community. Other noteworthy temples include the beautiful Pura Taman Saraswati, which is lavishly decorated with water features to honour Dewi Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and the arts, and Pura Batur Sari, dedicated to the deity of Mt Matur.
Balinese culture places a big emphasis on religious celebrations, and lucky travellers will often get the opportunity to witness (or even participate in!) the various festivals and holy days that are a feature of temple life in Ubud. So long as the traveller bears in mind and takes care to respect the various local etiquettes and customs- and for this a local guide can be quite helpful (as can be Cheap Bali Flights) - Ubud’s many temples and palaces can offer a cultural experience like nothing you’ve ever experienced before!