Map of Denpasar

From a population of just 15.000 sixty years ago it has expanded dramatically to 400.000, plus another 100.000 who are residents of Kuta and Nusa Dua. Following the expansion of Ngurah Rai Airport Denpasar became the capital of the new province of Bali in 1958, replacing Singaraja as the capital of the former province of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Since then most of the offices of the province level moved from Singaraja to this new develoved city. The most interesting feature Denpasar is the combination of tradition with modernity. The old provincial kingdoms and villages of the densely populated rice plain also perforate the urban landscape. While functioning very much in the traditional way, these "villages in the city" still have their exclusive banjar neighborhood, dance groups and temple festivals. These days, residents often make a living by renting rooms to newcomers from other regions of Bali and Indonesia. This blending of styles has sometimes resulted in a stunning cohabitation of architectural genres.

Hidden behind the harsh rows of Chinese shops along Jalan Gajah Mada street in the old city center are traditional compounds with much of their original architecture preserved: kori gates and temples. These features give this city a historical look rarely found in other Indonesian cities. But with no cultural heritage conservation policy at present, there is a strong possibility that much of the ancient architecture may soon be replaced by contemporary ugly concentrate structures.

A Consequence of the city's rapid growth has been its disorganized nature. Since the road networks are not concentrated at the original urban center, urbanization tends to follow the main roads out of the city to housing projects 20 km away, leaving large expanses of rice growing areas untouched in the middle of the city.

Scarcity of land has also created some architectural anomalies. City residents, no longer with enough room to build the complete set of buildings found in a traditional Balinese compound, have to make do with less. Some build smaller shrines from which they address the ancestors of their home villages, while others build shrines on the second or third floors. The intention is to retain, at least out warmly, the Balinese house architecture. For want of a real Balinese house, many will make do with Balinese massed produced decorative roofs or carved panels illustrating the epic myths of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The result is unusual but has a charm of its own.

The capital hosts all government administration offices as well as most universities and higher learning institutions, home to about 25.000 students. The local economy is geared to the needs of the nearby resorts of Sanur, Kuta and Nusa Dua where many residents of Denpasar commute to daily. The dynamics of the local economy have brought not only Balinese from other parts of the island but newcomers from all over the country to Denpasar. In Denpasar ethnic homogeneity is a thing of the past.

Non Balinese now makes up around 30% of the city population. There are Javanese kampung, Chinese and Arab/Punjabi areas. On the whole, except in the "old villages of the city" which are solely Balinese, the population is very mixed. The Muslim call to prayer, the reciting of Puja Tri Sandhya prayers three times a day, the rumble of the Beleganjur orchestra and the persons sermon represent just some of the sounds in the Denpasar day. This variety has important cultural consequences. The Indonesian language is increasingly taking over Balinese in daily communication.

Denpasar is where the Balinese scholars translate Indian holy books, new prayers are taught and Hinduism reinterpreted. It is also home to a new cosmopolitan class of western-oriented Balinese yuppies.

Denpasar is not an easy place to visit. To see the old city, take a drive around the old villages of Kedaton, Sumerta, Tonja and especially Kesiman, whose redbrick-style shrines and gates are the simplest yet most beautiful in Bali. The Mospahit temple on the road to Tabanan dates back to the 14th century, another marvel of redbrick architecture.

Other beautiful monuments include the temple and palace of Kesiman, Panambangan temple (near Pemecutan palace), and Satria temple, with it's nearby bird markat. Pemecutan, Kesiman and Badung (now the name of the nearby district) used to be the three "united kingdoms" in the territory of Denpasar.

Representing the modern tradition is Pura Jagatnatha. Located on Jalan Gajah Mada at the heart of the city. It was built in the 1970's to be the "territorial temple" of Denpasar, an open monument to modern Balinese Hinduism. It's main Padmasana shrine, or seat of the "Supreme Siwa", embodies the new importance given to the concept of the One God in Balinese religion.

A visit to the Bali museum, located about two hundred meters south of Jagatnatha temple, is a must. It has the finest collection of Balinese antiquities, especially the stylistic simplicity of the items in its 300s collection.

Denpasar is also where Bali displays its modern image. The Taman Budaya, the arts center to the east of the city, is a complex dedicated to the preservation of Balinese culture. It contains the Ksirarnawa, an indoor theatre, the gigantic open amphitheater and a museum with an important collection of paintings and sculptures from the period of Balinese, renewal, but no contemporary art.

As a modern metropolis, Denpasar offers a range of shopping centers, restaurants and food centers. For those interested in textile and handycraft, go to Pasar Badung Kumbasari markets, located on either side of the Badung River in the old city center. The new center has moved south to the Sudirman and Diponegoro roads. Matahari, Ramayana, Tiara Dewata and Libi department stores, as well as Sudirman Mall, cater to all the needs of tourist and local customers, all at fixed prices. The south of Denpasar, Jalan Teuku Umar offers a complete range of restaurants.