A sacred seat of power, the palace, still inhabited by the sultan, plays the role of conservatory of Javanese art. Its layout reflects Javanese cosmogony according to a north-south axis which governs the official and ceremonial section and an east-west axis that defines the private and sacred. The pride and joy of the palace is Bangsal Kencana (Golden Pavilion), a particularly ornate pendopo that symbolises the sacred mountain.