This is a draft chapter from my guide Lempad’s Art and Buildings in Bali.

A Boma mask Lempad carved into the lintel of a gate in the outer courtyard. As you can see the outline and features stand out clearly against the intricate background.

Getting there: Ubud’s Royal Palace is on the corner of Jl Raya Ubud and Jl Suweta. It is opposite the Ubud traditional markets and diagonally opposite the Monkey Forest Road and the police station.

This is another private home and for this reason many parts of the palace are not open to the public. However we are all welcome to visit two large courtyards that tend to fill up with dozens of tourists taking selfies by mid-morning. It is a good idea to get here early if you can.

Lempad was the architect and chief sculptor for this palace complex. All of the art you can see here was either made by Lempad himself or under his direction. It was probably his first major work after his father retired. Continue reading →