Trowulan is a small village near Surabaya in East Java, 50kms southeast of the city on the Jalan Raya Mojoagung highway. It is known for its huge archaeological sites that surround the area and makes a good daytrip from Surabaya.
The village of Trowulan is thought to be the site of Majapahit, the ancient capital. Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore and governor of Indonesia, rediscovered Trowulan. Archaeological excavations have revealed many artifacts including terracotta ornaments, pottery, carvings and statues. These are displayed at the Trowulan Museum.
The main sights in and around Trowulan are the Wringin Lawang temple and Brahu Temple. The former is the most impressive and both have been well restored. Another major sight in the area is Segaran pool, the biggest ancient pool of Mojopahit’s kingdom. Segaran pool was used to entertain foreign envoys and has also been restored.
Getting There & Away
Surabaya-Juanda Airport is the main gateway to East Java and one of the busiest airports in Indonesia. Flights come in from Jakarta (90 minutes) as well as from cities all over Southeast Asia. Buses bound for Yogyakarta run along Jalan Raya Mojoagung and take around 2 hours to reach Trowulan.