Jakarta is the biggest city in Indonesia and also most populas in the whole south east asia . Population of the Jakarta city is almost 28 million . This huge amount of the people and cars make traffic jams in the roads regularly . People of Jakarta are mostly helpful and friendly . They will offer food if you are foreigner , still lnguage is a barrier in whole indonesia . Most of the people only speak bhasa Indonesia .
Jakarta was previously a port called , “Sunda kalapa ” in 12 th century under Sunandanes kingdom (Hindu kingdom). First foreigners came here are Portuguese in 1522 . Few years later in 1527 king Fatalliah of Cirebon captured java and renamed the city as Jayakarta . In the end of the 16 th century Dutch come here and captured the Java Island , after that they destroyed Jayakarta and renamed the city as Batavia . Under the Dutch influence the city grows as a port city and famous for spice trade . After that for a little time it was under control of french , english and Japanes and finally under indonesian government after independence from dutch in 17 th August 1945 . After that finally the city was named Jakarta .
Monas :
National monument (Monas) is a very important tower build in 1961 by the president Sukarno and build for the rememberance of the freedom struggle of Indonesia . This monument is 132 meter tall and in the top there is a flame structure which was covered by 32 kg of Gold .
In the ground floor there is National History museum and a Hall of Independence . There is a lift which will reach you to the observation desk which his situated in the 115 meter . After buying the ticket to the observation desk you have to wait quiet some to call your number as at a time only 11 people can accommodate in the lift . From the observation desk you can have the panoramic view of the city . Outside the monas in the ground floor in the wall there were relief to show the struggle of Independence of Indonesia .
This monument is opened daily between 8 am – 4pm and 7 pm – 10 pm in week days and 8 am – 4pm , 7 pm – midnight in weekends . The entry frees to this monument is 10000 IDR for foreigners and 5000 IDR for Indonesian people .
Istiqal Mosque :
Istiqlal Mosque is the largest mosque in Indonesia and 9 th largest in the world , was opened for the general publlic by the president Sukarno on 22 nd Februry , 1978 . This mosque was build to memorate the independence of Indonesia also , as it’s 45 meter diameter dome was to remember Indonesia’s independence year in 1945 . The mosque was build by the architect Wahid Hasyim .
This mosque is a five floor building to remind the five times namaz in Islam and seven gates to remind the seven layers of heavens in Islam . There are all together 12 pillars to support the grand dome of the Mosque . Inside the mosque the floor is covered with beautiful red carpet and also the prayer room is Air conditioned . There is a big bathroom type area where people wash their hands , legs and face before entering the mosque for prayer .
The Mosque is opened between the 4 am – 9 pm daily . In Friday there is special prayer .
Presendential Palace or Merdeka Palace :
This palace is situated near to the Merdeka square . Here , in this building the declaration of Independence was signed with the Dutch Governor general and the Dutch flag was lowered and the Indonesian flag was hosted first time in 1949 .
Before the Independence , It was the residence of the Dutch Government General . Now it is the Official resident of the Indonesian President and also some government offices . This building was established by the Dutch Governor General Johan Wilhelm Van Lansberge in 1879 . Sukarno was the first president to reside in the Independent Indonesia .
Entry to this palace is possible only on some specific days . Independence day Flag is hosted every year in this palace .
National Museum of Indonesia :
National museum of Indonesia has pre history , Archeology , Ethenography , Numismatics , Geology and Historical relics collection . It has 61000 pre historic and 5000 archeological collection . It is the biggest in Indonesia and one of the biggest museum inside South East Asia . It is popularly called as the Elephant Museum as a bronze statue was installed in the gate of the Museum . This museum has largest collection of Hindus and Buddhist sculpture .
This museum has been establlished in 1862 but before that there was a scienific research centre which were build in 1778. There is Royal Gold and silver exhibition in the top floor of this museum . This items were used by the royal family . There is also a ceramic collection in a room of the museum .
Inside the Museum hall there are two big banners where all the ethnic group of people lived in Indonesia and Language spoken here are listed . Indonesia is looks like little similar to India in this case .
Entry fees of this museum is 10000 IDR for foreigner and 5000 IDR for Indonesian . The museum is regularly opened (except Monday ) between 8 am and 4 pm but in Friday for the special namaz it is closed between 11:30 am – 1 pm .
National gallery of Indonesia :
National gallery of museum is a art gallery and a Museum in the city of Jakarta . The original building was established in the year in 1817 by G.C Van Rijk . This museum plays an important role for the awareness of art works among the general public . After establishing this building it was used as a school and army camp .Later in 8 th may 1999 it was converted to this museum .
This museum is opened from the 8 am – 4pm and the entry fees is 10000 IDR .
Fatahillah Museum :
Jakarta History Museum or the Fatahillah Nuseun was officialy opened in the 1974 . It has rich collection of the heritage and cltural items from the prehistory to 1927 to the indonesia’s independence in 1945 .
Previously it was a the formal city hall of the dutch east indian complany . after the fall of the compaany colonial power overtook the power . In 1710 it was decleared as the HQ of the dutch east India company .
It has total collection of the 23500 items . It has maps , ceramic items , paintings , archeological items and the Inscriptions . There was a notorious water prison inside the ground of this building . There is huge collection of the Chines , Netherland and the Indonesian collection here .
In sundar traditional dancess were performed in this building and the museum is opened from 9 am – 3 pm and the entry fees is 5000 INR .
Immanuel Church :
Immanuel church is the oldest protestant church in the Whole Indonesia established in the year 1835 . First It was called “Willemskerk ” in the name of the king of Netherland Mr willahm L .Later in 1948 it was renemed as “Emmanuel Church .” It has a beautiful doors made of teak wood .
Opening time of the church is between 6 am to 8 pm . but the holy mass gathering time in sunday .
Kota Tua (Old town Batavia):
This old walled city near to the Jakarta was once the dutch headquarter and , warhouse and main spice trade hub in the 17 th century . The city was build in the western part of the ciliwung river . It was started building in the 1630 and completed in the 1650 .
After 19 the century due to the silt deposit in the river more and more ships are moving towards the new port Tanjug priok .
The places to visit in the old Batavia town are Fine arts and the ceramic museum , Gerja siion , Glodok and Kali Besar and many more . The main spices like pepper , nutmeg , cinamon and tea are the main spices exported through this port . Today the town hall of the palace becomes the Fatahilla Museum .
Jembatan Kota Intan :
Jembatan Kota Intan is a unique hanging bridge which will lifted from the both side to pass the Maritime traffic . This is the oldest bridge in whole Indonesis , build by the Dutch in 1628 . Later it was destroyed several times for the flood and attack and also renamed lots of times.
First It was called “English bridge ” due to heavy presence of english army on that area , after that it was called “Chicken Market Bridge ” as local chicken market was present there , After that it was called Central Bridge and then after it was called Queen Julian Bridge for the respect of the Queen of Netherlands and finally after the independence of Indonesia it was called Jembatan Kota Intan as the name of the local Market situatd near by .
This bridge is situated 6.6 km from the Merdeka square and bus no 1 will reach here from “Monument national ” bus stop .
Sunda Kelapa Port/Old Harbour:
Sunda Kalapa port , situated in the estuary of the old Cilwung river is present here from the 12 th century according to the chines book Zhu Fan Zhi . At that time Indonesia was ruled by two hindu kingdom Sriwijaya and Java kindom . Later from 13 th – 16 th century it was under the sunda kingdom . Pepper in this region is the best among the whole world .
Among the foreigners , First Portuguese and then Dutch come here . Dutch make a deal with the sultan of java and make a warhouse to trade and named that place as Batavia . As this is a river port so the silt are deposited in the mouth and big ships can not enter this area so dutch make a new bigger port Tanjung Priok . Now a days in sunda kalapa only small pinisi boats are docked and they are mainly used for the inter island cargo and passenger transport . This port is also full of the fishing boats where fishes are auctioned near to this port in a Fishing Market .
Glodok :
This is the old chines market , settlement for the chines people in 1740 . This GLODOK word comes from the old sundanes word “Golodog” which means entrance to the house as this is the entrance to the sunandes kingdom in java so it called like that .
The famous chines temple in this area are Dharma sakti Temple , Hui Tek Bio Temple and the Dharma Bhakti temple .
Markets to visit in this china town are Pasar Glodok , Pasar Pagi , Pasar Grosir , Asemka and Interesting Painting Market .
This area is also famous for the chines electronics market . In this area you can taste authentic Chines Food also.
Thousand Islands :
Thousand island is situated in the north of the Jakarata city in the sea where you can see lots of island with people and some habitat island . It is estimated that there is alll together 354 island among them 11 is inhabitated and some are the private island . This islands are situated just 45 km north from the main land java . First Dutch East India company gain control of some of the island , later British get control of the islands . This are the Natural wonders and beautiful natural spot near Jakarta .Some of the favourite island in this area are Pulao Bidadari , Pulao Ayer , Pulao Onrust any many more .
This Islands can be reached by boat from Jakarta in between half an hour to 3 hours depending on the distance .
Ragunan Zoo :
It is situated in the southern Jakarta and one of the biggest Zoo in Indonesia . This museum was established in the year 1864 . But it was in the present location from the 1966 .
In this museum there is all togeather 2288 animals and you can see the Komodo Dragons , orangotang , sumatran tiger and many more . Either you can see Komodo dragons here or you have to reach Komodo island from Labuan Bajo .
This museum is opened from the 7 am – 16 pm daily and entry fees is 4000 IDR .
Jakarta Cathedral:
Jakarta Cathedral or the Gereja Santa Maria Diangkat ke surga is a old roman cathedral situated neat to the Merdeka square and istiqlal Mosque build in the 1901 , Before this cathedral there was another cathedral which was established in 1821 but collapsed in 1890 . As the Dutch are the protestant so they destroy catholic church But after the Nepolean in Europe conquered the Netherland this stance change of the Dutch government .
There were three spires in the church , among them two on the both side of the entrance gate and one in the back gate . This front spires are 60 meter in Height .
This cathedral is opened between 6am – 6:30 am in the morning and 6pm – 6:30 pm in the evening . but in the weekends the time of opening is different
Pasar Baru :
Pasar Baru is the oldest market in Jakarta established in 1820 and it is like the oldest super Market in Jakarta . You can buy mostly shoes , cloths sportswear and Jewellery .In this Market and there are lots of street Food vendors . So you can Taste different food .
This area is also popularly called Little India as lots of Punjabi and sindhi family own the shops here . In 1950 and 1960 this was the main market of Jakarta and later moved toward Gajah Mada Plaza, Aldiron Plaza and Ratu Plaza .
Tragedy with Jakarta :
Jakarta is the biggest city and the capital of the Indonesia but due to water level increase in the sea this city is literally sinking day by day . Some areas are protected by making walls beside the sea . According to the weather and climatologist one third of this city is going to sink by 2050 . So the Indonesian goverment is shifting the capital from here to a new freshly build city Kalimanthan which is in the borneo Island .
Summary :
Jakarta is the biggest and most populas city sea port and biggest international airport in Indonesia . All together 28 million people lived in this city which makes it the most populas city in the whole south east asia . Traffic Jam is the biggest problem of the city . This city is almost 800 years old and at first there was a Hindu kingdom here . The city changed it’s name many times from Sunda Kalapa to Jayakarta to Batavia to finally Jakarta . The city has numerious things to see from the thousand Island to Museum and lots of national Monuments . People in this city are most friendly and Helpful .
