Jakarta Designates Three Objects as Cultural Conservation

The Jakarta administration, designated three objects as Jakarta Cultural Heritage in early 2022.

This is a commitment to protect, develop, and utilize cultural heritage

Those three objects are Jalan Pasar Baru as a Cultural Conservation structure, Ciliwung Canal between Jalan Antara and Jalan Pasar Baru Selatan as a Cultural Conservation structure, and (3) Proclamation Park as a Cultural Conservation Site.

Jakarta Culture Agency Head, Iwan Henry Wardhana said the designation itself had passed through the study process carried out by the Jakarta Cultural Conservation Expert Team during 2021 and had been stipulated in the Jakarta Governor's Decree.

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"This is a commitment to protect, develop, and utilize cultural heritage in the form of objects, buildings, structures, sites, and areas that need to be managed by the government and local governments by increasing community participation to protect, develop, and utilize cultural heritage that is around us," he expressed, in Kuningan Timur, South Jakarta, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release, Wednesday (2/9).

He explained Jalan Pasar Baru and Ciliwung Canal were chosen, as they were part of man-made objects that were created to meet needs and as space for activities that accommodated human needs in ancient times.

Likewise with the Proclamation Park on Jalan Proklamasi, Menteng Sub-district, Central Jakarta, which is used as a Cultural Conservation site, as at its location, there are Cultural Conservation objects, Cultural Conservation buildings, and or Cultural Conservation structures as a result of human activities or evidence of past events.

1. The Jalan Pasar Baru is determined through Jakarta Governor Decree number 36/2022 on the Designation of the Jalan Pasar Baru as a Cultural Conservation Structure. It is located on Jalan Pasar Baru, Pasar Baru Urban Village, Sawah Besar Sub-district, Central Jakarta which stretches perpendicularly from Jalan Pos (formerly known as Groote Postweg) to Jalan Samanhudi (formerly Krekot Pintoe Besi, 1930).

It had become an iconic road segment and was the heart of commercial activities in its time. Currently, activities on Jalan Pasar Baru must compete with various shopping centers that have emerged in Jakarta.

Along that road, several buildings have been designated as Cultural Conservation following Governor Decree number 475/1993.

Such as Jalan Pasar Baru Building Number 2; Garuda Sports and Music Store, Jalan Pasar Baru Building Number 8; Jean Machine Factory Outlet, Jalan Pasar Baru Building No. 30; Kezia Bella International Tailor and Textile Store, and Pasar Baru Street Building Number 46; Ratu Clothing Store, and other buildings that are suspected to be Cultural Heritage, such as Compact Shop, Tropic Shop, and Nyonya Meneer Shop.

2. The Ciliwung Canal between Jalan Antara and Jalan Pasar Baru Selatan is stipulated through Governor Decree number 44/2022 on the Designation of the Ciliwung Canal on Jalan Antara and Jalan Pasar Baru Selatan as a Cultural Conservation Structure. It is located on Jalan Antara and Jalan Pasar Baru Selatan, Pasar Baru Urban Village, Sawah Besar Sub-district, Central Jakarta.

The canal structure in Pasar Baru stretches from west to east along Jalan Antara and Jalan Pasar Baru Selatan. Then the river sheet pile is made of concrete, and the riverbank is bordered by Jalan Pos and Jalan Sutomo, while the canal structure in Pasar Baru is part of the Ciliwung River, which functions to control flooding and supply water.

The Ciliwung Canal is part of the Old Batavia (Oud Batavia) which was founded on March 4, 1621. And then expanded to the south towards Weltevreden as Nieuw Batavia.

3. The Proclamation Park as a Cultural Conservation Site is stipulated through Governor Decree number 37/2022 on the Designation of the Proclamation Park as a Cultural Conservation Site.

It is located on Jalan Proklamasi, Pegangsaan Urban Village, Menteng Sub-district, Central Jakarta. After a period of exile in Bengkulu, Soekarno lived in a temporary house on Jalan Diponegoro Number 11.

Then Shimizu, a pro-independence Japanese Officer, asked Chaerul Basri, a young Indonesian, to find a house according to Bung Karno's wishes. For his efforts, Chairul Basri managed to find a suitable house for Bung Karno on Jalan Pegangsaan Timur Number 56.

Bung Karno and his family moved to the house in 1942. In this house around 1944, Mrs. Fatmawati prepared the Red and White flag which became known as the Heritage Flag to be flown at the time of the Proclamation of Independence.

On August 17, 1945, at the Proclamation Park Site, Bung Karno and Bung Hatta proclaimed Indonesian Independence.

At the same time, the red and white flag was hoisted and the anthem Indonesia Raya was sung.

In the period 1950-1960, the plot area did not change much. The existence of the Proclamation House got other additional facilities such as a swimming pool and tennis court.

During the reign of Governor Suwiryo (1945-1951), he planned to develop the area. There was a demolition of the Proclamation House and the Proclamation Monument on August 15, 1960.

The new construction was conducted starting January 1, 1961, with the Pola Building. The building was inaugurated on August 15, 1962, by Bung Karno, despite it was not yet fully completed.

• On August 17, 1972, the Reconstruction Proclamation Memorial was inaugurated

• In 1974, the Inauguration of the Proclamation Monument, where Bung Karno read the text of the Proclamation

• On May 20, 1979, the Pola Building was inaugurated by President Soeharto as the Independence Pioneer Building

• On August 16, 1980, President Soeharto inaugurated the Soekarno-Hatta Monument, the Proclaimer of Indonesian Independence