Situated about 4km south of central Klungkung, on the way to the coast, Gelgel was once the seat of Bali's most powerful dynasty. The town's decline started in 1710, when the court moved to present-day Klungkung, and finished when the Dutch bombarded the place in 1908. Today, few traces of its past grandeur remain. The main temple, Pura Dasar Bhuana, has vast courtyards that point to its past as a royal place of worship.
About 500m east of Pura Dasar Bhuana, the Masjid Nurul Huda Gelgel is Bali's oldest mosque. Although modern-looking, it was established in the late 16th century for the benefit of Muslim missionaries from Java who were unwilling to return home after failing to make any converts.
