Matesih, Karanganyar

Matesih is a sub-district in the Karanganyar Regency, Central Java.

This sub-district is famous because in that area there is Astana Giri Bangun, a mausoleum for the family of the 2nd President of the Republic of Indonesia, Suharto. This tomb complex is located on the slopes of Mount Lawu at an altitude of 660 meters above sea level, to be precise in Girilayu Village, Matesih District, Karanganyar Regency, Central Java Province, about 35 km east of Surakarta city.

The air in Matesih is cool because it is located on the slopes of Mount Lawu. The Samin River divides the city of Matesih with its clear water. People use the river for washing or bathing for small children. The Samin River is full of andesite rocks of various sizes adding to the beauty of the scenery. Because it is located on the slopes of Mount Lawu, which is an inactive volcano, the land in Matesih is very fertile.

Most of the areas in Matesih Village are agricultural land, and some of the residents are farmers. Many of them are rice farmers or cultivating rice plants. Of the many types of rice, the farmers in Matesih village often plant IR 64 and Mentik rice (the cool name is cintanur).
Matesih Village is also a good producer of beef, although it is still considered on a small scale. Most of the residents of Dusun Banaran (one of the hamlets in Matesih Village) apart from being farmers, many of them also raise cattle. Even though they are still traditional, their cows are the main product in Matesih Village.
Apart from cows, Matesih produce catfish and chicken livestock. For the economy of Matesih Village at this time it can indeed be said to be advanced.

Matesih Village is also the center of the Matesih Sub-District Government and has a market that has started to live since 01.00 in the morning and starts to quiet around 14.00 in the afternoon.

The traders in the market do not only come from the village or Matesih sub-district. many also come from Jumantono, Tawangmang, Ngargoyoso sub-districts and several other sub-districts around the Matesih sub-district.

Many restaurants are available that serve typical Solo menus such as curry, timlo, sambal Overlapping, kupat tofu or young goat tongseng. Apart from that, there are many typical Solo snacks such as ampyang, krasikan, and rangin at Matesih Market. On Kliwon market day, the market is very crowded.

Art is one of the villages where the residents have a high appreciation for maintaining and preserving regional culture in order to enrich the culture of the Indonesian nation. In some hamlets, traditional art activities thrive, such as practicing playing Javanese gamelan, which is the legacy of our noble predecessors. As in Dukuh Kapayak, which also involves housewives enthusiastically practicing. Dukuh Banaran, where there are also many artists who remain loyal to developing and preserving it. .so do other hamlets. Campursari is also thriving, a new style of art which is a blend of ethnic music with diatonic music is also thriving, here the talents of young people can be channeled. Sangga Buana is one of the very famous Campursari groups whose base camp is in Matesih. Band groups as a place for young people’s creations also thrive to decorate the beauty of culture in this city.

Matesih is easy to reach because of adequate transportation facilities, both with two wheels and four wheels. In addition, helicopters can land in the field of Matesih village. Many transport operators in this village provide inter-city and inter-provincial transportation services, as well as rural transportation that are ready to take you to various parts of the village. Matesih is the main connecting route to Astana Giri Layu and Giri Bangun, which are now Pilgrimage Tours, both to the tombs of the Kings of Surakarta and to the graves of Mrs. Tien Soeharto and former President Soeharto (late) and their families. The place is easily accessible and has a beautiful view from the top of the mountain.