Gedung Agung - the Smallest Palace with Big Role

Kompas/Wisnu Widiantoro

Rows of chairs at Gedung Senisono at the Yogyakarta Presidential Palace on Thursday (30/3).

"We\'re working as we could,  not like a real government. We have nothing. There are no typewriters, office equipment or airplanes.” (Soekarno, in the book An Autobiography as told to Cindy Adams, Indonesian title Bung Karno, Penyambung Lidah Rakyat Indonesia.)

As security in Jakarta became more and more uncertain, the leader of the Republic of Indonesia decided to move to Yogyakarta. President Soekarno, Vice President Mohammad Hatta and entourage arrived in Yogyakarta by train on Jan. 4, 1946. They initially lived in the Pakualaman Palace complex. At that time, Gedung Agung was not ready to be occupied.