Batavia/Jakarta (Dutch East Indies pictures)

[Ojak]

Thanks a lot for those vintage pics, reminding me of the old days of Jakarta. Wish the government can keep these historical buildings like in Europe.

[numpty]

the old dutch ship yards, now a nicely decorated cafe/restaurant



the old dutch watchtower



the old city wall



inside museum bahari

[Alvin]

Jakarta's crumbling Old Town sees glimmer of hope for a revival

Tue Mar 7, 11:25 AM ET



JAKARTA (AFP) - For nearly 500 years, Indonesia's capital on the shores of the Java Sea has boomed as a major regional trading post, building a rich architectural heritage as it prospered.

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But the crumbling port town has precious little left to showcase its history now, three decades after a campaign to renovate and restore the crumbling buildings stalled almost as soon as it started.

The few hundred historical buildings that have survived the ravages of Indonesia's tropical climate and years of inaction are clustered at the dilapidated Kota Tua, or Old Town, a small area in northern Jakarta capturing the sea breeze.

Fanning out from the 18th-century town hall of what was then called Batavia, a motley array of narrow Dutch townhouses rub shoulders with colonial landmarks, massive art deco buildings from the 1920s and 30s, office towers thrown up in the 1960s and bustling shophouses and warehouses.

"It is a living monument, with businesses, trades and settlement activities still very much alive there," said Candrian Attahiyyat from the city's History and Museum Department.

But unlike other Asian cities that have primped and primed their tangible histories into something culturally thrilling for locals and tourists -- think Singapore's Boat Quay or Malaysia's Malacca -- the capital of the world's fourth most populous nation has done little.

"The current image of the Old Town can be summed up in three words: unsafe, uncomfortable and difficult to access. That needs to be changed," Attahiyyat told AFP.

The lack of nightlife means the area is plunged into semi-darkness once the sun goes down, making it a popular spot for sex workers to prowl, thugs to harass and rats to scuttle.

During the day, the crumbling buildings are an eyesore, while the stink of the Kalibesar River and open sewers mingling with the pollution from the chaotic traffic is just another reason to stay away.

Finally, however, things may be about to change, as the Indonesian capital celebrates its 479th birthday this year.

Experts say the quarter is poised for the much-needed face-lift to go-ahead.

"This time, the political will is there and the city governor is really active in getting everyone interested," said architect Budi Lim, one of those at the forefront of private efforts to revive the neglected area.

Public awareness of the need to revitalize the quarter has been steadily growing in recent years, but a common agreement on what precisely should be done has remained elusive, Attahiyyat said.

Some want a face-lift to entice tourists; some want to see shops luring Jakartans. Others want the area closed to traffic, or the focus to be on restoring the buildings.

"Now we are beginning to at least get agreement among the various parties involved, public or private, that what the area needs is not a mere face-lift, but a revitalization of activities there," Attahiyyat said.

The city is gearing up to improve the lighting and introduce new traffic regulations later this year, while a plan for better public transport has already been drawn up, he said.

The Old Town has endured several attempts to return it to its frenzied heyday, when it was a cosmopolitan center of a thriving Asian commerce and the administrative headquarters of Indonesia's vast archipelago.

The first in the 1970s saw several ancient buildings turned into museums, and the restoration of the Old Town's square and town hall. But further efforts floundered in the face of a lack of funds, focus and coordination.

A second spurt occurred a decade later with an attempt to revive the old commercial district along the river. A plush hotel, esplanade and food hawker center were built, but much-needed changes to other infrastructure in the area -- such as cleaning up the malodorous river itself -- failed to occur.

Now, the groundswell of support for the area's rejuvenation has attracted some local luminaries to the cause.

"The Old Town should be revived for the people of Jakarta, including those already there. I believe in mending the city," said architect Lim, one of Indonesia's few conservation and restoration experts.

"Tourism should only come as a bonus."

Lim is a leading member of Jakarta Old Town Kotaku, one of the groups taking action to inject life back into the district.

"We are trying to get some anchor businesses into the area," Lim said, adding that in particular, his group is trying to encourage arts and crafts galleries and shops to open. Negotiations with several are underway.

There is no blueprint for the whole area. While the private sector can try to draw people to open businesses in the Old Town, the government is responsible for the infrastructure and regulations.

Arya Abieta, an architect from the Indonesian Association of Architects, who has a keen interest in the Old Town, is circumspect over the quarter's future, warning that the potential stumbling blocks remain formidable.

He said these included an obvious lack of coordination between concerned government institutions and unsuitable laws concerning heritage buildings and zones.

"Also, with a focus now on poverty eradication, better health and education, and so on, rejuvenating the Old Town will certainly not be a high priority," he told AFP.

Candrian is nevertheless upbeat, thanks to the interest he sees officials finally taking.

"Let's just hope that this lasts longer than the time it takes for chicken poop to cool," he quipped, referring to a popular Indonesian idiom used to describe a short-lived attention span.

[Nemo]

I hope it's not just talking and planning.

[F-ian]

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showth...=352217&page=3

Vote for Batavia

[aryo]

i'm in the middle of the process of making a website dedicated to the old jakarta (kota tua) community, and the gallery is one of the focal points.
i never realized that some pictures (of old batavia) i put in my gallery were already posted here. i wonder if i'm violating some copyright laws or something.

do i need specific permission to put other people's pictures in my gallery? cuz i have no idea where they originally came from and who to contact about it, so i pretty much left out credits for the pics.

this is my website: http://www.oldjakarta.com (it's still in the works btw)
can anyone give me information on the ethics of postng pictures from other places? cuz the pics in this thread are simply AMAZING, and i was thinking about putting some of them on my site.

[ncon]

[ncon]

[ncon]

[ncon]

[ncon]

Kota to be transformed into heritage site
TheJakartaPost.com, Tuesday, June 20, 2006
by Anissa S. Febrina and Intan Ismawati

When it comes to revitalizing Jakarta's historic Old Town area, the city administration is thinking big and starting small.

In fact, it might start with something as small as revamping a strip beside the Jakarta Historical Museum, but the project's vision is to re-make the area better known as Kota into a heritage site to rival those in European cities.

"The ultimate goal is to transform Kota into a cultural tourism spot that features heritage values, but still allows room for economic activities," Jakarta Culture and Museum Agency head Aurora Tambunan said recently.

After almost a decade without real urban development, Kota's facelift will begin with the remake of Jl. Pintu Besar Utara, a semi-pedestrian strip in West Jakarta.

The street houses three museums -- the Jakarta Historical Museum, the Puppet Museum, and the Art and Ceramic Museum -- as well as several empty buildings.

Under the plan, it will no longer be just a strip that people speed past on their way to other destinations.

The administration hopes vehicles will give way to people on foot later this year, as the 8-meter wide lane will be reduced to a 5-meter, meandering street.

"What we are trying to do is to calm the traffic, so that people can enjoy the heritage sites," Aurora said. "We hope that the ones who come through are those who want to enjoy the value of the area." To calming the traffic, the authority plans to change the ground cover of the street from asphalt to andesit stone blocks both on the pedestrian and street level.

Public transportation will also be re-routed west through Jl. Bank.

All cables will be moved underground and tall trees will be regularly maintained so as not to block the buildings' facades.

Several physical details, such as brass plates engraved with information about the area's architectural heritage, will be added later.

"It might seem like just a physical project, but it is aimed at creating a better image and gaining the trust of investors as well as the public that the revitalization can happen," she added.

The 193-hectare area's revival has been planned since 1973, but little has actually taken place.

Dozens of old buildings dating back to the 17th century are being used only as sets for film shoots, photography backdrops, and sleeping quarters for the homeless.

The administration will expand the street-revamping project to Jl. Kali Besar Timur and Jl. Pos Kota, as well as giving Fatahillah Square a makeover.

Two alleys connecting Fatahillah Square to Kali Besar will be made purely pedestrian areas.

"As the image changes, we hope that private investors will be convinced to find new uses for their old buildings there," Aurora said.

Investors are currently considering revitalizing eight old buildings, the organization Jakarta Old Town Kotaku (JOK) reported.

Aurora added that her agency will start lobbying several building owners to make room for street vendors on their first floors.

"Vendors should stay on the streets temporarily. As they grow bigger, they should occupy a permanent place," she explained.

Meanwhile, JOK member Ella Ubaidi explained that revitalizing the area is about more than conserving buildings.

"It involves social, economic and cultural aspects. As long as we see it as mere conservation, it will never work," she said.

[NYDJ USA]

Talking about the Old City BATAVIA (BETAWI), I live in New York City....which originaly known as NEW AMSTERDAM, well it used belong to the DUCTH before....then the BRITISH took it from the DUCTH.

Here in upstate new york, there a town name BATAVIA too.

NYDJ USA >>>> JAMPANG BETAWI.

[londoh]

Originally Posted by aryo

i never realized that some pictures (of old batavia) i put in my gallery were already posted here. i wonder if i'm violating some copyright laws or something.

do i need specific permission to put other people's pictures in my gallery? cuz i have no idea where they originally came from and who to contact about it, so i pretty much left out credits for the pics.

this is my website: http://www.oldjakarta.com (it's still in the works btw)
can anyone give me information on the ethics of postng pictures from other places? cuz the pics in this thread are simply AMAZING, and i was thinking about putting some of them on my site.

Are you really so naive ? I cannot believe this

[aryo]

jeez i was only asking. thanks for the info though.

[Blue_Sky]

I think SSC mods or the one who posted it can clarify this problem

[F-ian]

Originally Posted by Blue_Sky

Gerbang Lama Town Hall


before 1870


after 1870

The Amsterdam gate right?

The JKT Govt. is going to rebuild it again

Membangun Gerbang Amsterdam di Kota Tua

20/05/2007 13:56:39 WIB
JAKARTA, Investor Daily

Rambu dilarang masuk bagi kendaraan bermotor langsung menyambut pengguna jalan di pertigaan Jalan Pintu Besar Utara arah Museum Fatahillah. Pengguna mobil dan sepeda motor yang ingin ke Jalan Kunir, Jalan Malaka, Jalan Cengkeh, dan Pasar Ikan terpaksa berputar melalui Jalan Bank.

Pemerintah Provinsi (Pemprov) DKI Jakarta sengaja memasang rambu dilarang masuk tersebut supaya Jalan Pintu Besar Utara mulai dari Museum Fatahillah hingga Jalan Kunir bebas kendaraan. Sebab, kawasan sepanjang 300 meter itu menjadi kawasan percontohan Kota Tua.

Bagi warga Jakarta dan turis mancanegara yang gemar menikmati kawasan Kota Tua, nantinya bisa bebas berjalan kaki. Sebab, sejak 2005, Pemprov DKI membongkar jalan aspal di sepanjang Jalan Pintu Besar Utara diganti dengan blok beton persegi empat.

Pembuatan jalur khusus pejalan kaki (pedestrian) itu hampir selesai. Blok beton sudah terhampar rapih menyatu dengan bangunan tua khas arsitektur Eropa abad 16 yang masih ada. Situasi pun sangat berbeda dengan kawasan di sekelilingnya yang macet, bising, dan penuh polusi asap kendaraan, terutama di sepanjang Jalan Bank, Jalan Kunir, dan Jalan Pos Kota (dekat Stasiun Kereta Api Jakarta Kota).

Sementara itu, kawasan khusus pejalan kaki di Kota Tua sekitar Museum Fatahillah bisa lebih tenang dan leluasa. Bahkan, banyak sepasang kekasih berfoto dengan busana mirip bangsawan Eropa pada 400 tahun silam dengan latar belakang bangunan tua. Keceriaan tampak dari raut wajah mereka. Hal itu berkat sebuah program yang dikenal dengan istilah Revitalisasi Kota Tua.

Gubernur DKI Sutiyoso sudah menetapkannya sebagai program prioritas. Setelah pembenahan kawasan Kota Tua di sekitar Museum Fatahillah di Jalan Pintu Besar Utara, revitalisasi kemudian dilanjutkan ke Jalan Kunir Kali Besar Timur sepanjang 350 meter.

“Kalau di Jalan Kunir itu, mulai 2008. Tapi kalau revitalisasi di Jalan Pintu Besar Utara hanya tinggal mengganti pelataran Museum Fatahillah dengan blok beton yang coraknya sama dengan jalan,” kata Kepala Subdinas Pengawasan dan Cagar Budaya Dinas Kebudayaan dan Permuseuman DKI Jakarta Candrian Attahiyat kepada Investor Daily di Jakarta, Jumat (18/5).

Menurut Candrian, pihaknya akan memasang blok beton di pelataran Museum Fatahillah itu pada Juni-Juli 2007. Dengan demikian, pada Agustus atau paling telat Desember tahun ini bisa diresmikan oleh gubernur. “Kami juga akan membangun Gerbang Amsterdam karena Jakarta dulu yakni Batavia pernah dirancang sebagai Amsterdam dari Timur oleh Hindia Belanda,” tutur Candrian.

Gerbang Amsterdam nanti dibuat tak jauh dari Museum Fatahillah, tepatnya di ruas jalan arah Museum Wayang menuju Museum Bahari. Pada 400 tahun silam, Gerbang Amsterdam sudah dibangun oleh Gubernur Batavia Jan Pieterszoon Coen. Gerbang itu berfungsi sebagai tempat pemeriksaan bagi orang yang ingin melintas ke Balai Kota Batavia (saat ini Museum Fatahillah, red).

Nuansa Amsterdam, Belanda sebenarnya sudah terungkap di kawasan Kota Tua Jakarta yang ditandai adanya jembatan kayu berwarna coklat kemerahan, dekat Hotel Omni Batavia. Jembatan yang dikenal dengan nama Jembatan Pasar Ayam itu dibangun Belanda pada 1628 sesuai dengan gaya aslinya di Amsterdam, yakni bisa diangkat ketika kapal-kapal melintasinya.“Ya, kami akan membangkitkan gairah itu supaya Kota Tua punya daya tarik bagi wisatawan dan investor,” ujar Candrian.

Selain membuat infrastruktur jalan, Pemprov DKI nantinya juga akan melengkapi keindahan Kota Tua dengan taman interaktif dan penerangan jalan. Diharapkan, pembenahan itu dapat merangsang minat pemilik bangunan dan investor untuk memperbaiki bangunan tua khas Eropa yang kini sudah usang tidak terawat.

Jika dipugar kembali, suasana di Kota Tua bakal lebih indah. Apalagi, nanti akan ada patung-patung dan kafe-kafe dengan paviliun atau tenda-tenda lengkap dengan hiburan musik. Suasananya dijamin romantis dan nyaman terutama di malam hari. “Seperti kita jala-jalan ke Amsterdam, Roma, Barcelona, ataupun ke Malaka di Malaysia,” ujar Candrian.

Namun, dia mengakui, revitalisasi Kota Tua tidak menjangkau ke seluruh wilayah Kota Tua, tapi baru di kawasan Museum Fatahillah. Sementara peta Kota Tua sisa-sisa kebesaran pusat Pemerintahan Hindia Belanda empat abad lalu sebenarnya mulai dari Pancoran Glodok (Pecinan), Jakarta Barat hingga Pelabuhan Sunda Kelapa, Jakarta Utara. Luasnya mencapai 864 hektare.

Ketika itu para pedagang asal Belanda tiba di Batavia pada 1596 dengan tujuan mencari rempah-rempah. Hasil bumi itu sangat diburu Belanda karena bisa menjadi obat, penghangat badan, dan bahan wangi-wangian. Para pedagang Belanda yang kemudian tergabung dalam VOC mendirikan benteng di selatan Pelabuhan Sunda Kelapa pada 1613. VOC ingin Batavia menjadi pusat perdagangan.

Hal itu tampak ketika VOC membangun Menara Syahbandar yang berfungsi sebagai kantor pabean atau pengumpulan pajak dari barang-barang yang diturunkan di pelabuhan. Lokasi menara itu dekat dengan Museum Bahari, Pasar Ikan.

Di sisi selatan, berdiri megah bangunan Museum Sejarah Jakarta yang dikenal Museum Fatahillah. Ketika itu, Museum Fatahillah menjadi Balai Kota, pusat pemerintahan Batavia pada 1620 hingga 1707.

[paw25694]

that's cool

[Surakarta]

Wow..good news, is already open for publics ?

[bonekedan]

cant wait to see that...hope the gate already done when im back home.

[Blue_Sky]

Wouldn't that be look a bit fake if they re-build it