Overview

In its heydays in the 16th century, Batavia was known as “The Queen of the East” and “the Jewel of Asia”. Its Sunda Kelapa harbour was abuzz with merchant vessels from Europe, China, India and from throughout the Indonesian archipelago, loading in and sailing away with precious nutmegs, pepper, tea, coffee, ceramics, cloths and other exotic products of the time. The warehouses were stacked with spices, tin and copper. The successful trade in Batavia filled the coffers of the Netherland’s Treasury. .

Center of the VOC Dutch East India Company’s administration was the Stadthuis with its wide front plaza, around which were the Court of Justice, banks and other important buildings.

Later the city expanded to the west bank of the Ciliwung river, where the Dutch built a fortress, a city wall and canals, outside which was Chinatown and the homes of the indigenous people.

This entire area, covering 1.3 square kilometers is today called the Old Batavia, present day part of North and West Jakarta.

Before this, in 1526, Prince Fatahillah of Banten invaded the harbour of Sunda Kelapa of the West Javanese kingdom of Pajajaran, On 22 June 2024 he renamed the town Jayakarta meaning victorious city. Until today, Jakarta bases its founding on this date.

In 1619, however, Dutch Governor Jan Pieterszoon Coen destroyed the town, upon which he built the new town of Batavia – naming it to the ancestors of the Dutch, the Batavieren.

Today many of the original buildings are still intact, The government has designated the Old Batavia as conservation area and plans are afoot to revive the entire neighbourhood into a tourst destination.

Today, the Sunda Kelapa Harbour is an inter-island harbour, where one can mostly find Bugis phinisi schooners at anchor. Nearly are the old warehouses, which are now converted into a Maritime Museum.

This museum houses models of old Dutch ships and the many types of boats used in the archipelago.

Center of the Old Batavia is the former municipal building or Stadthuis, which is now a Museum depicting Jakarta’s long history, called Museum Fatahillah, while the square is called the Fatahillah Square.

The Fatahillah Museum is built in classical baroque architecture consisting of a main building with two wings on its east and west, acomplementary building used as an office, a court room, and an underground prison. These frightening prison cells contain heavy iron balls used to shackle prisoners and slaves.

Around the square are the Fine Art and Ceramic Museum, one time Court of Justice, which houses splendid paintings of the romantic maestro Raden Saleh, and expressionist Affandi. There is also a collection of ceramics from many parts of Asia.

There is also the Wayang Museum, the Bank Indonesia and Bank Mandiri Museums, housing artefacts related to the banking world.

In the vicinity are the Sion Protestant Church, built in 1695 and still in use until today, the Pasar Ikan – or Fish market, the Kota Intan Drawbridge – a reminder of canals and bridges in Holland, and the old Jakarta Kota Station, also still operational today.

The Café Batavia has been restored and now offers authentic Dutch cuisine, pastries, coffee and tea, in relaxing retro atmosphere with high ceilings, large windows, ceiling fans and wooden beams.

Get There

In Old Batavia, the Fatahillah museum is still a favorite site for culture lovers, photographers, local tourists and international tourists (particularly Dutch and other Europeans) and is open from Tuesday through Sunday, from 09:00-16:00 West Indonesia Time. The museum is closed every Monday and public holidays.

Old Batavia is easiest reached via the toll road to Tanjung Priok harbour or the old road via Gunung Sahari past Mangga Dua, but this road is usually congested. Take a taxi or car. Once at the Fatahillah Square there are old-fashioned bikes for rent to cycle around and see the many attractions in this area.

Get around

There are plenty of means of transportation in Jakarta to choose from. It is recommended to use Taxi ‘Blue Bird’ or ‘Express Taxi’ as it is more convenient.

Hotel

There are verities of hotels in Jakarta to choose from 5 to 1 star and hostels are also available. List of hotels are available in the link http://indonesia.travel/en/destination/228/old-batavia/findhotel/page/1#firstsection

Tips:

• Beware of pickpockets, therefore please do mind your personal belongings.
• Use Sunblock and hat as it may get very hot during midday.
• Take a chance to ride an old bicycles which was used during the Dutch era, which is also known as ‘Ontel’.

Related Events

The First ever Jakarta Marathon 2013 to be held on Sunday, 27 October

27 Oct 2024 Start At: 06:00 Until: 20:00

It is official: the Jakarta Marathon 2013 will be held for the first time in Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta, on Sunday, 27 October 2013. The news was announced in Paris, France, at the Marathon de Paris 2013, on 4th of April .

Six categories will be competed in the Jakarta Marathon 2013, namely: Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Wheelchairs, and Sprint for Children.

Some 5,000 to 10,000 runners from 15 to 20 countries are expected to participate in the Jakarta Marathon this year that will take contestants over the 42 km course from Pluit in North Jakarta to Senayan in Central Jakarta. Athletes will compete for the Rp. 4 billion in total prizes.

Deputy Minister for Tourism and Creative Economy, Sapta Nirwandar said that the Jakarta Marathon will be an international scaled sporting event that had been carefully planned since some time. Adding that similar to other world class marathons, the Jakarta Marathon itself is intended to further expand sports tourism in Indonesia, and is expected to attract more international tourists to Indonesia.

On his side, Jakarta Governor, Joko Widodo enthusiastically welcomed the staging of the Marathon saying that “Jakarta warmly welcomes the very first Jakarta Marathon, projected to be an annual event for Jakarta and Indonesia. We hope that through this event, the number of international tourists to the city will increase each year. Governor Widodo plans to fully support the Jakarta Marathon with art and culture festivities from all over Indonesia.

The Marathon route will take competing athletes and participants pass some of Jakarta’s most well-known landmarks that include the National Monument or Monas, the Istiqlal Mosque the Cathedral Church across, the Old Batavia complex, and the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout.

The event is organized by Inspiro as the appointed promotor and organizer of The Jakarta Marathon working in close cooperation with the Association of Indonesian Athletes (PASI) and the Amaury Sports Organization (ASO).

Indonesia’s participation in the ongoing Marathon de Paris 2013 is intended to observe how a successful marathon should be organized and managed with respect to design, mechanism, methods, and management structure. The opportunity was also used to promote and invite athletes and the international public to come and participate in the Jakarta Marathon 2013.

For registration and more information, please visit the event official website: www.thejakartamarathon.com

For more information about the current situation and conditions as to the applicable legislations, policy and the development of Kota Tua, please do not hesitate to contact:

Jakarta Tourism Board

Jl. Kuningan Barat No. 2, Jakarta Selatan 12710
Telp : +62 21 5205454 / 55, +62 21 5209689, Fax. +62 21 5229136
Website : http://www.jakarta-tourism.go.id
Email : [email protected]