Denpasar

Giving the impression of a bustling overgrown village, Denpasar is the largest city on the island, the center of commerce and governmental administration. Belated town planning is doing is best to control the urban sprawl of the bustling little city, and the recent addition of traffic lights at the busiest intersections as well as a great number of one-way street signs are ironing out the main traffic problems. The main street Jalan Gajah Mada is the commercial center of shops, banks and restaurants, and backs onto the Pasar Badung market place, a sprawling complex of stalls with every imaginable commodity available from salted fish, spices and herbs, to gold jewelers and fine woven cloth.

The Museum is well worth visiting in Denpasar. In representative style of the palaces or the ancient kingdoms of Karangasem, Tabanan, and Singaraja, the buildings house a fine collection of item ranging from prehistoric times to the early 20th Century, and a fine selection of modern wood carving and paintings.
Art Centre at Abian Kapas is a large new complex with a open air stage arena, exhibition halls and restful gardens. Performances, exhibitions and dances are regularly organized by the center, and a program of events can be obtained.

Temples of Denpasar
One of the most beautiful temples of Denpasar is the Central Pura Agung Jagatnatha, at the Northeast corner of Puputan Square. This temple comes alive at the full moon ceremony, worshippers from all over the city gathering to make their offerings and devotions.

Patung Catur Muka
The statue that stands on the crossroads northeast of Mayor`s Office in Denpasar has been there since 1973. It is called Catur Muka (Four Faces0 because it has four heads facing out to the four quarters of the compass. A team of craftsman led by the locally renowned artist I Gusti Nyoman Lempad from the village of Mas created the statue. The 9-10 meter high statue is a representation of the God Brahma (God Brahma, as the creator of the universe) with four faces and has its origins in an episode of the Mahabharata.

Bajra Sandhi Monument
Bajra Sandhi Monument is a Balinese people strunggle monument, that the building in the form of Genta/Bajra (the Hindu`s priest bell). Located at south side of Puputan Margarana civic center Niti Mandala, Renon and near from representative house of Bali and Governor Office.

Taman Puputan Badung Square
The name Taman Puputan Badung is a dedication to the memory of the war on 20th September 1906 in which the Balinese fought bravely against the Ducth who invaded the land. That date is always commerated every year, and a monument called Taman Puputan Monument has been erected for the important event. This monument stands at the northern part of the Puputan Square. Many local people every afternoon for recreation and every Sunday there activities particularly organized for children visit this square.

The Temple of Mahospahit
The Temple of Mahospahit is an old temple, which is located at the Dr. Sutomo Street, about 950 meters from The Catur Muka Statue. The main market of Pasar Badung is close to this site. Many visitors pay visits to this old temple because it is also an archeologically site. There is a terracota statue considered to be archeologically old, and taken as the artefact of the Kingdom of Majapahit in East Java.
On the main street of Denpasar, its restful shade and gnarled frangipani trees offerings a welcome contrast to the hubbub of city traffic, is the market temple, Pura Melanting, where busy vendors pause too make their offerings for a prosperous day.

A little further out of town, in East Denpasar, is the Pura Pengerebongan of Kesiman, where once every six months a massive trance ceremony is held, with visiting Barong and Rangda masks from over fifty local villages contributing to the conflagration of magic powers in a reenactment of the age-old conflict between good and evil which acts a purification and purging of evil spirits.

The Palace of Satria
The palace of Satria, located about 300 meters toward the north of the Taman Puputan Square at Veteran Street, is one of the palace attractions of the city tour programs. The areas in front of the Royal Temple is location of the "Bird Market" the palace are unique, and there is an open hall "Pendopo" which was formerly used for meeting of the kings throughout Bali. It can be reached for ten minutes walk from the city center.

Bali Museum
The oldest museum in Bali where collected Balinese archaeological relics. Museum Negeri of Bali Province or Bali Museum is the oldest museum in Bali and as a pioneer of the founding other museums in Bali. Those are Museum Gedung Arca (the Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor historical and archaeological conservation), Museum of Puri Lukisan Ratna Warta, Le Mayeur Museum, Subak museum, Finger Print Museum has just founded at Tanjung Bungkak area.

Based on its collections, there are different from others. Its features are archaeology, fine arts, and irrigation. While Bali Museum belongs to ethnography, whose collections include cultural tools of everyday life, and tools of Balinese ceremonies from last time until now. Balinese culture has a unique character with the basis of historical, religious, and other aspect development. Bali Museum located at a strategic location at the central of Denpasar face to the Puputan Square. It is visited by tourists as a part of city tour program, open to public everyday, except Monday. The structure consists of several cultural elements, namely original Bali, ancient Bali with the merging of Buddha and Hindu into Balinese cultures nowadays. The heritage of archaeological remains apparently seen on the prehistoric, Ancient Balinese, and Mid Balinese collections of Bali Museum.

Werdhi Budaya (Art Center)
The Werdhi Budaya Art Center was built in 1973 to the design of the prominent Balinese architect, Ida Bagus Tugur, as a showplace for Bali`s performing and fine arts. Strategically situated on Jalan Nusa Indah, Abian Kapas, Denpasar, the art center has three art galleries, including one permanent art collection, and several outdoor stages and performance pavilions including the huge open stage and arena, Ardha Chandra. Local artist often utilizes seminar and exhibition halls and there are groups and the dance, drama and music school, STSI. Since 1979 a tradition of a Festival of the Art has been instigated as an annual fixture. This takes place each June - July, with a comprehensive programmed of Gamelan and Dance performances, competitions of traditional Balinese skill, and giant productions of the Ramayana and Mahabarata ballets, lasting about 4 weeks in all. Open: Every day except on official holidays (08;00 - 16:00). The performance of "Kecak Dance" to be held at the Art Centre every evening from (18:30 - 19:30).

Padang Galak Monument
A monument built as a memory of PANAM aero plane crashed in 1972. In this large area you can find many beautiful and monumental events, such as Padang Galak Monument.