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Kota Tua Jakarta ( Indonesian for "Jakarta Old Town"), officially known as Kota Tua, is a neighborhood comprising the original downtown area of
Jakarta Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital city, capital and list of Indonesian cities by population, largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coa ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
. It is also known as (
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
for "Old Batavia"), ("Lower City", contrasting it with Weltevreden, ("Upper City")), or Kota Lama (Indonesian for "Old Town"). The site contains Dutch-style structures mostly dated from 17th century, when the port city served as the Asian headquarters of VOC during the heyday of spice trade. It spans 1.3 square kilometres within
North Jakarta North Jakarta ( id, Jakarta Utara; bew, Jakarte Belilir) is one of the five administrative cities (''kota administrasi'') which form Special Capital Region of Jakarta, Indonesia. North Jakarta is not self-governed and does not have a city counc ...
and
West Jakarta West Jakarta ( bew, Jakarte Bekulon; id, Jakarta Barat) is one of the five administrative cities of the Special Capital Region of Jakarta, Indonesia. West Jakarta is not self-governed and does not have a city council, hence it is not classified ...
(
Kelurahan In Indonesia, village or subdistrict is the fourth-level subdivision below a district, regency/city, and province. There are a number of names and types for villages in Indonesia, with ''desa'' (rural village) being the most frequently used for r ...
Pinangsia, Taman Sari and Kelurahan Roa Malaka, Tambora). The largely Chinese downtown area of Glodok is a part of Kota Tua.


History

Kota Tua is a remainder of Old Batavia, the first walled settlement of the Dutch in Jakarta area. It was an inner walled city with its own
Castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
. The area gained importance during the 17th-19th century when it was established as the ''de facto'' capital of the
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, whic ...
. This inner walled city contrasted with the surrounding ''kampung'' (villages), orchards, and rice fields. Dubbed "The Jewel of Asia" in the 16th century by European sailors, the area was a center of commerce due to its strategic location within the spice trade industry in the archipelago.


Headquarters of the Dutch East India company

In 1526,
Fatahillah Fatahillah, Fadhillah Khan, or Falatehan (Portuguese writing) was a commander of the Sultanate of Demak who is known for leading the conquest of Sunda Kelapa in 1527 and changing it name to Jayakarta. The conquest of Sunda Kelapa was one of his ...
, sent by
Sultanate of Demak The Demak Sultanate (کسلطانن دمق) was a Javanese Muslim state located on Java's north coast in Indonesia, at the site of the present-day city of Demak. A port fief to the Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit kingdom thought to have been found ...
, invaded the Hindu
Pajajaran Pakuan Pajajaran (or ᮕᮊᮥᮝᮔ᮪ᮕᮏᮏᮛᮔ᮪/ Dayeuh Pakuan/Pakwan or Pajajaran) was the fortified capital city of Sunda Kingdom. The location is roughly corresponds to modern Bogor city in West Java, Indonesia, approximately around t ...
's port of
Sunda Kelapa Sunda Kelapa ( su, , Sunda Kalapa) is the old port of Jakarta located on the estuarine of Ciliwung River. "Sunda Kalapa" ( Sundanese: "Coconut of Sunda") is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated i ...
, after which he renamed it into
Jayakarta Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
. This town was only 15 hectare in size and had a typical Javanese harbor layout. In 1619 the
Dutch East India Company The United East India Company ( nl, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the VOC) was a chartered company established on the 20th March 1602 by the States General of the Netherlands amalgamating existing companies into the first joint-stock ...
(VOC) destroyed Jayakarta under the command of
Jan Pieterszoon Coen Jan Pieterszoon Coen (, 8 January 1587 – 21 September 1629) was an officer of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in the early 17th century, holding two terms as governor-general of the Dutch East Indies. He was the founder of Batavia, ...
. A year later the VOC built a new town named " Batavia" after the '' Batavieren'', the supposed Dutch ancestors from antiquity. This city was centered around the east bank of the Ciliwung river, around present day Fatahillah Square. Inhabitants of Batavia are called "Batavianen", later known as " Betawi" people. The creole citizens are descendants of mixed various ethnicities that had inhabited Batavia. Around 1630 the city expanded towards the west banks of Ciliwung, on the ruins of former Jayakarta. The city was designed according to Dutch urban planning, complete with a fortress (Kasteel Batavia), city wall, public square, churches, canals and tree-lined streets. The city was arranged in several blocks separated by canals. No native Javanese were allowed to live within the city walls, since the authorities were afraid that they might start an insurrection.Kota Tua Jakarta booklet, Dinas Kebudayaan dan Permuseuman Pemerintah Provinsi DKI Jakarta The planned city of Batavia was completed in 1650. It became the headquarters of the VOC in the
East Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies), is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The Indies refers to various lands in the East or the Eastern hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found in and around ...
and prospered from the spice trade.


Abandonment

Old Batavia declined in prominence in the late 18th century, probably because of the canals with their near-stagnant water, together with the warm and humid climate would often cause outbreaks of tropical diseases like
malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. ...
. Much of the old town became neglected and abandoned due to its decline of importance, and slowly its canals were filled up. Countryside villas were preferred by wealthier residents, which caused the city to grow southward. This process led to the foundation of an estate named Weltevreden.


As the capital of Dutch East Indies

The city retained its status as the administrative center of the
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, whic ...
when the VOC transferred its possession to the monarch of the Netherlands in 1800. During the rule of Governor General Daendels in 1808, the city's administration and military were moved south to Weltevreden, with a new planned town center around
Koningsplein Koningsplein ('King's Square') is a square in Amsterdam. It is located between the Singel and Herengracht canals. It has become a meeting place for the local community References External links TERENA Webcam Koningsplein, Amsterdam via TER ...
and
Waterlooplein Waterlooplein (Waterloo Square) is a square in the centre of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The square near the Amstel river is named after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The daily flea market on the square is popular with tourists. The Stopera ...
. Due to financial problems however, much of the old town, its wall, and Kasteel Batavia were torn down for construction materials to build new government and civic buildings, such as the Palace of Daendels (now department of Finance) and the Harmonie Society Building (demolished). The only remnant of the area of Kasteel Batavia is Amsterdam Gate, which was completely demolished in 1950. The city continued to expand further south as epidemics in 1835 and 1870 forced more and more people to move out of the old city to the newer spacious, green and healthier Weltevreden neighborhood. The old city became deserted and was a mere empty shell of its former glory by this period. Old Batavia kept its commercial importance as the city's main harbor and warehouses district, but it was largely overshadowed by
Surabaya Surabaya ( jv, ꦱꦸꦫꦧꦪ or jv, ꦯꦹꦫꦨꦪ; ; ) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of East Java and the second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern border of Java island, on the M ...
as the colony's prime harbor and commercial hub. After the opening of the
Tanjung Priok Tanjung Priok is a district of North Jakarta, Indonesia. It hosts the western part of the city's main harbor, the Port of Tanjung Priok (located in Tanjung Priok District and Koja District). The district of Tanjung Priok is bounded by Laksaman ...
harbor and fueled by the increasing rubber output in the late 19th century, Batavia was able to regain its commercial momentum. There had been attempts to restore the city's old downtown prominence by converting the desolated area into the main business district of Batavia. As a result, the former mansions and shops that at the time had been occupied by ethnic Chinese people, were converted and renovated into offices in the period 1900–1942. Many of these offices can still be seen today around
Kali Besar Kali Besar (''de Groote Rivier'') refers to the channel connecting Sunda Kelapa in the north to the south part in old town of Jakarta, parallel to Ciliwung River in their east disemboguing at the heart of the old city of Jakarta. Literally me ...
. The development of the business district was hampered by the 1930
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
and the
Japanese occupation of Indonesia The Empire of Japan occupied the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of the war in September 1945. It was one of the most crucial and important periods in modern Indonesian history. In ...
in 1942.


Post Independent Indonesia

After the recognition of Indonesia's independence in December 1949, the business and banking district of Kota was moved to Thamrin and
Kebayoran Baru Kebayoran Baru is a district ( id, kecamatan) of South Jakarta, Indonesia. The name of the district was derived from an area which was developed in the post-war period as a new suburb town of Jakarta, Kebayoran Baru. Kebayoran Baru was the last r ...
in the south, thus allowing Kota to further deteriorate again after having regained some of its lost glory. The Banking district of Kota area completely disappeared in the 1980s. In 1972, the
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
of Jakarta,
Ali Sadikin Ali Sadikin (7 July 1926 – 20 May 2008), better known as Bang Ali, was an Indonesian politician who served as the fourth governor of Jakarta from 1966 until 1977. Prior to becoming governor, he served as Minister of Transportation from 1963 u ...
, issued a decree that officially designated the Jakarta Kota Tua area as a heritage site. The governor's decision was necessary in order to preserve the city's architectural roots – or at least what was left of it. Despite the Governor's Decree, Kota Tua remained neglected. Even though the population were pleased by the issuing of the decree, not enough was being done to protect and conserve the legacy from the Dutch colonial era. Many buildings in Kota Tua remain abandoned, and increasing pollution hastened up the dilapidation rate of the old buildings. Some old buildings in Kali Besar were destroyed for development despite the heritage status, such as Hotel Omni Batavia, which was built over an old warehouse.


Restoration and revitalization

The first concrete plan of Kota Tua revitalization was signed in December 2004 by ''Jakarta Old Town-Kotaku'' and the government of Jakarta. The commencement of the revitalization plan was started in 2005. Taman Fatahillah Square was revitalized in 2006. In 2014 the city's governor at that time
Joko Widodo Joko Widodo (; born 21 June 1961), popularly known as Jokowi, is an Indonesian politician and businessman who is the 7th and current president of Indonesia. Elected in July 2014, he was the first Indonesian president not to come from an elit ...
continued the restoration plan of Kota Tua. The project, named "Jakarta Old Town Reborn" (JOTR), is a cooperation between state-owned enterprises, the municipal government and the private sector. In March 2014, an event Fiesta Fatahillah was held in Taman Fatahillah Square. The government of Netherlands aided the restoration plan in July 2014. By August 2014, 16 buildings in Kota Tua have been restored, such as the Kota Post Office buildings (built in 1929), which has been converted into a contemporary art museum. Despite these promising developments, most of the city's crumbling colonial architecture remain in ruins up to this day.
Street vendors A hawker is a vendor of merchandise that can be easily transported; the term is roughly synonymous with costermonger or peddler. In most places where the term is used, a hawker sells inexpensive goods, handicrafts, or food items. Whether statio ...
remain the biggest problem in Kota Tua. Illegal street vendors and hawkers increase dramatically around Kota Tua area, especially during holidays, causing increase in garbage. As of May 2015, 415 street vendors are allowed to sell their items in Kota Tua area.


Notable sites

Nowadays, many remaining historical buildings and architecture are steadily deteriorating, but some of the old buildings have been restored to their former glory. However, there is still much hope in restoring the area, especially with aid from various non-profit organizations, private institutions, and the government all stepping up to the plate to rejuvenate Old Jakarta's legacy. In 2007, several streets surrounding Fatahillah Square such as Pintu Besar street and Pos Kota street, were closed to vehicles as a first step towards the rejuvenation. Since 2014 the old town has a brighter future with the ambitious JOTR project to restore Old Batavia's architecture and putting the site on the UNESCO heritage list.Kota Tua strong contender UNESCO heritage nominees list
''thejakartapost'', February 4, 2015
As an important city and commerce hub in Asia since the 16th century, ''Oud Batavia'' is home to several important historical sites and buildings: * Relic from the Old Batavia **
Café Batavia Cafe Batavia is a restaurant located in Kota Tua (Old Town), Jakarta, Indonesia. It is one of the colonial landmarks facing the square Taman Fatahillah. The building where Cafe Batavia is established is the second oldest building in the square, s ...
**
Fine Art and Ceramic Museum The Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics ( id, Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik) is a museum in Jakarta, Indonesia. The museum is dedicated especially to the display of traditional fine art and ceramics of Indonesia. The museum is located in east side of ...
(Former Court of Justice) **
Gereja Sion Gereja Sion (Indonesian for "Sion Church") is a historic church located in Pinangsia Administrative District, Taman Sari, Jakarta, Indonesia. Dating from 1695, it is the oldest church still standing in Jakarta. History The church was formerl ...
(17th century church, the oldest surviving church in Jakarta, and probably in Indonesia) **
Jakarta History Museum ) , imagesize = 300 , established = 1707 , dissolved = , pushpin_map = Indonesia Jakarta , map_type = Indonesia Jakarta , location = Jl Taman Fatahillah 1, Jakarta Barat, Jakarta, Indonesia , type =History museum , visitors = 69,708 (2006)75,06 ...
(18th century City Hall of Oud Batavia) ** Glodok and Pinangsia Area (Jakarta Chinatown) **
Kali Besar Kali Besar (''de Groote Rivier'') refers to the channel connecting Sunda Kelapa in the north to the south part in old town of Jakarta, parallel to Ciliwung River in their east disemboguing at the heart of the old city of Jakarta. Literally me ...
(original river of Oud Batavia) ** Kota Intan Drawbridge (the only surviving Dutch drawbridge in Indonesia) **
Luar Batang Mosque The Luar Batang Mosque ( id, Masjid Luar Batang) is one of the oldest mosques in Jakarta, Indonesia, located in the area of '' Pasar Ikan'' (Fish Market) in North Jakarta on the west side of the Sunda Kelapa Harbor. The Mosque was built in the 18 ...
** Maritime Museum and Menara Syahbandar (former warehouses of Oud Batavia) ** Pasar Ikan (Fish Market) ** Port of
Sunda Kelapa Sunda Kelapa ( su, , Sunda Kalapa) is the old port of Jakarta located on the estuarine of Ciliwung River. "Sunda Kalapa" ( Sundanese: "Coconut of Sunda") is the original name, and it was the main port of the Sunda Kingdom. The port is situated i ...
(the original port of Oud Batavia) ** Kim Tek Ie (or Vihara Dharma Bhakti, the oldest Buddhist temple in Jakarta) ** Petak Sembilan Chinese Street Market **
Toko Merah Toko Merah (Indonesian "Red Shop") is a Dutch colonial landmark in Jakarta Old Town, Indonesia. Built in 1730, it is one of the oldest buildings in Jakarta. The building is located on the west side of the main canal Kali Besar. The building's red ...
(18th-century mansion of Governor General Baron Van Imhoff) **
Wayang Museum The Wayang Museum ( id, Museum Wayang) is a museum dedicated to Javan wayang puppetry. The museum is located in Kota Tua, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is one of several museums and galleries facing the Fatahillah Square, which include Jakarta History ...
(20th-century former Museum of Oud Batavia marking the site of the tombstone of Coen) ** Hui Tek Bio Temple * Early 20th-century revitalization ** Bank Indonesia Museum (former Javasche Bank, the main bank of the Dutch East Indies) ** Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China (Now owned by Bank Mandiri) ** Jakarta Kota Post Office (One of a few samples of
Nieuwe Zakelijkheid Nieuwe Zakelijkheid, translated as New Objectivity or New Pragmatism, is a Dutch period of modernist architecture that started in the 1920s and continued into the 1930s. The term is also used to denote a (brief) period in art and literature (especi ...
architecture in Indonesia) **
Jakarta Kota railway station Jakarta Kota Station (, station code: JAKK) is a railway station, located in the old city core of Kota, Jakarta, Indonesia. The station was named ''Batavia Zuid'' (or ''South Batavia'') until the beginning of the 20th century. The station was ...
(formerly known as BEOS station or Batavia Zuid Station) **
Bank Mandiri Museum Bank Mandiri Museum ( id, Museum Bank Mandiri) is the corporate museum of the namesake Bank Mandiri, located in the old banking district of Jakarta Old Town in northern Jakarta, Indonesia. The museum is housed in the former headquarters of the Net ...
(former Netherlands Trading Society ( nl, Nederlandsche Handelsmaatschappij), one of a few samples of
Nieuwe Zakelijkheid Nieuwe Zakelijkheid, translated as New Objectivity or New Pragmatism, is a Dutch period of modernist architecture that started in the 1920s and continued into the 1930s. The term is also used to denote a (brief) period in art and literature (especi ...
architecture in Indonesia)


List of street names

Most street layout of Kota Tua has not changed since the foundation of Batavia in the 17th century. Below is a list of street names in Kota Tua. The list of street is limited to the street that was at one time located within the walled city of Batavia, both before and after the 1628 and 1629 attack of Batavia by
Sultan Agung Sultan Anyakrakusuma is known as Sultan Agung ( jv, ꦱꦸꦭ꧀ꦠꦤ꧀ꦲꦒꦸꦁꦲꦢꦶꦥꦿꦧꦸꦲꦚꦏꦿꦏꦸꦱꦸꦩ, Sultan Agung Adi Prabu Anyakrakusuma) was the third Sultan of Mataram in Central Java ruling from 1613 to 1645 ...
. To avoid confusion, the official writing of Roman numeral is converted into Arabic numeral. Some streets bear the name ''gracht'' ("canal"), meaning that it was a canal, e.g. Amsterdamschegracht, Chineeschegracht, etc. When the canal was refilled (mostly around the beginning of the 20th century), the word ''gedempte'' ("drained") was added so the name of the street becomes the Gedempte Amsterdamschegracht, Gedempte Chineeschegracht, and so on. To simplify the naming, the list will not contain the word ''gedempte''.


See also

*
Colonial architecture in Jakarta Colonial buildings and structures in Jakarta include those that were constructed during the Dutch colonial period of Indonesia. The period (and the subsequent style) succeeded the earlier period when Jakarta (known then as Jayakarta/Jacatra), go ...
* Batavia * Dutch colonial architecture


References


Works cited

* * * * * * * * * * * * * {{refend


External links


Sahabat Kota Tua
Batavia, Dutch East Indies North Jakarta West Jakarta Tourist attractions in Jakarta Historic districts