Petirtaan Watugede, the Beautiful Bath of the King and Princess of the Singosari Kingdom

The Petirtaan Watugede in Watugede Village, Singosari District, Malang Regency, East Java, was discovered by Dutch archaeologists in 1925. This petirtaan was a bathing place for the king and the king's daughters in the era of the Singosari Kingdom (1222-1292). Ken Dedes is also said to have bathed at Petirtaan Watugede.

Located 200 meters east of the Singosari train station, this lightning area has a shady atmosphere and is pleasing to the eye. Located on the slopes of the mountains where many springs are found, the air around the petirtaan is still beautiful and cool.

Long time ago, after the king or the princesses of the Singosari Kingdom finished bathing, they headed for the Sumberawan Temple which was to the west of the city. There, the royal family performed prayers.

The uniqueness of Petirtaan Watugede is the discharge of clear water from the mouth of the area. The water flows non-stop until now.

Petirtaan Watugede consists of a pool that is about 7 meters long and about 3 meters wide. In the pool, there is a shower in the form of an area whose shape is no longer perfect.

Judged from the style of the building, Petirtaan Watugede is reminiscent of several places in Bali. If the petirtaan area is maintained, visitors can see 4-6 areas that function as showers.

Petirtaan Watugede caretaker, Muhammad Toyib revealed that the visitors who came to the bathhouse did not only come from East Java. But also from other areas such as Central Java, Yogyakarta, Bandung, and Jakarta.

"Every month they come to this place an average of around 1,000 people," he said.

Visitors who come to Petirtaan Watugede are free of charge. They, added Toyib, simply fill out the guest book. Access to this event is also fairly easy, even four-wheeled vehicles can reach the petirtaan location.

In the past, on each side of the pool there was an area. However, some of the areas that decorated the petirtaan had already been lost. However, the remnants of the beauty of the petirtaan can still be enjoyed today.

Around the 1970s, the remaining area was finally taken and secured at the Trowulan Mojokerto Museum. Practically, since then there is only one eagle-shaped area in the eastern corner under a giant tree which the locals call the Elo Tree.

Trees grow around the petirtaan area. In addition, barbed wire is also installed around Petirtaan Watugede. If you look closely, you can see that many buildings that are part of this bath complex are buried or collapsed due to age.