What to see in Jakarta, itinerary including the main places of interest, including the old city, the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Monument and the Istiqlal Mosque.
Tourist information
On the north-western coast of the island of Java, near the mouth of the Ci Liwung river, is Jakarta, the great metropolis and capital of Indonesia, formed by a set of villages called kampungs, where different ethnic groups live together, and modern skyscrapers, with roads congested by motorized traffic which minimizes the possibility of walking on foot.
Modernity and wealth are flanked by situations of poverty, buildings of a high architectural level contrast with the poor residences, which are found everywhere.
What see
Kota is the historic center of the city, commonly called the old city, corresponding to ancient Batavia, the name that the Dutch gave the city when they conquered it in 1619.
The church of Gereja Sion, located in the Taman Sari district, and ancient colonial buildings located in Kota on the old Town Hall square, today Fatahillah Square, where the building of the old Municipality is located, which houses the Historical Museum of Jakarta , in Indonesian Sejarah Jakarta, also known as Fatahillah Museum or Batavia Museum.
Also on the same square are the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Ceramics, in addition to the renowned Cafè Batavia, where you can breathe an atmosphere of other times.
In front of this historical part of the city lie Sunda Kelapa, which is the old and glorious port, characterized by the fascinating sailing ships called pinisi and, in its vicinity, the Pasar Ikan, or the lively fish market.
South of Kota, also in the area of ancient Batavia, stands the Chinese district called Glodok.
The center of Jakarta is the large Merdeka Square, where the Monas National Monument stands out, a marble column built between 1961 and 1975, 137 high
meters and surmounted by a flame coated in gold.
At the base there is a historical museum and a meditation room.
The monument, open to the public, is equipped with an elevator to go up to the top, an excellent viewpoint over the city and the sea.
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- Indonesia: useful information
- Jakarta (Indonesia): what to see in the capital
In Merdeka square there are various buildings for government and cultural use, including the Merdeka Palace, the official residence of the President of the Indonesian Republic, and the building that houses the Indonesian National Museum.
Near the square stands the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, erected to commemorate Indonesian independence.
