History of Kota Tua
Before you visit one of the historical tourism icons in Jakarta, it's good to know the history of the old city. At that time this area was still known as Sunda Kelapa Harbor until then Raden Fatahillah attacked and changed the name of this area to Jayakarta. The arrival of the Dutch also played a role in the history of the old town. At that time, the VOC which was a Dutch trade union led by Jan Pieterszoon Coen attacked Jayakarta. After successfully destroying this area, the VOC changed the name Jayakarta to Batavia and expanded the area to the west bank of the Ciliwung River.The construction of the city was completed in 1650 and Batavia was named the headquarters of the VOC. It did not stop there, Japanese troops arrived and succeeded in occupying Batavia in 1942. Then the name of the area was again changed to Jakarta as we know it today. As an effort to preserve and protect this historic area, Governor Ali Sadikin, who served as the Governor of Jakarta at that time, inaugurated Kota Tua Jakarta in 1972 as a historical heritage site.
If you go to Jakarta, you must come here!
Fatahillah Museum
The Fatahillah Museum has become an icon of Jakarta's Old City tourism. The architecture of this building is similar to the Dam Palace in Amsterdam. When you browse inside, you'll find a courtroom and a dungeon. In addition, in this museum there are also 23,200 collections of historical items both original and replica. Starting from replicas of the relics of the Pajajaran and Tarumanegara kingdoms and various antique furniture such as ceramics, pottery, inscriptions and others.In addition, in the Fatahillah Museum field area, you can also find bicycle rentals. By renting this bicycle you can get around and enjoy the surrounding area. You can visit the Fatahilah Museum every Tuesday - Sunday from 09.00 to 15.00.
Puppet Museum ( Museum Wayang)
This puppet museum was formerly called Hollandsche. Inside the museum there are various kinds of Indonesian wayang collections that you can learn about. Apart from local puppets, here you can also find puppets from various countries such as Thai, Cambodia, Suriname and China puppets. Wayang performance art performances are also routinely held every month, usually the show will be held every 2nd or 3rd week. So, make sure you check the schedule properly when you want to enjoy the puppet art while stopping by here. The puppet museum operates from 08.00 to 17.00 and is closed on Monday. Kota Tua is the main attraction for tourists, including local residents who want to unwind. Apart from classic Dutch heritage buildings, entertainment, hip cafes to human sculptures, there are several museums there that can be targeted by visitors. One of them is the Wayang Museum. The Wayang Museum building design from the front is still very thick with Dutch Indies architecture. The old building with white paint, decorated with windows and green door frames was previously a church land area. The building was built in 1640 under the name de Oude Holandsche Kerk. The puppet collections displayed there come from all parts of Indonesia. There are even those imported from abroad, such as China, Cambodia, Thailand, Suriname, Vietnam, India and Colombia. The Puppet Museum collection has around 6,300 pieces. Starting from shadow puppets, wayang golek, cardboard puppets, grass puppets, wayang janur, masks, puppets, beber puppets and gamelan.
Ceramics and Artworks Museum
The building which is now the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics was originally the Office of the Judiciary Council of the Dutch East Indies government at Batavia Fortress or Ordinaris Raad van Justitie Binnen Het Kasteel Batavia. During the Japanese occupation around 1944, the building was converted into a military hostel. Then, on January 10, 1972, the building with eight large pillars at the front was restored as a historical building as well as a protected cultural heritage. In 1990, the historical asset was finally handed over to the DKI Jakarta Culture and Museum Office. It is now a Fine Arts and Ceramics Museum, presenting a collection of works by Indonesian artists since the 1800s until now. Ceramic collections are not only from contemporary Indonesian creative arts, but also from China, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and Europe. Ceramics from abroad are relics of the 16th to early 20th centuries.
How much is admission to the museum?
The three museums above offer an entrance fee of IDR 5,000 for adults, IDR 3,000 for students, and IDR 2,000 for children. The museum is open every Tuesday to Sunday and is closed every Monday.
