Slip off Jalan Mondorakan into the narrow lanes around Pasar Kotagede and you find yourself among traditional Joglo houses, the classic noble residences of Java. The Joglo is recognisable by its high, hipped roof supported on four central teak pillars; carved beams, perforated screens and a raised central platform mark the inner family hall.
A handful are open to visitors as private museums. Omah UGM, a restored Joglo run by Gadjah Mada University, gives the best introduction with English signage and a small architecture exhibit. Omah Indis nearby preserves a colonial-era hybrid version, with European doors and Javanese roof. The 2006 earthquake destroyed many older houses; the surviving ones are protected and quietly cared for by their owner families.