While most buildings are crumbling with trees growing through them, some have been converted into museums and still have vestiges of the grandeur that once clung to them. Taman Fatahillah the cobbled square is the centre of it all with most of the great buildings of the time located around it. Stadthuis or city hall where the Governor General of the VOC once held court, is now a history museum. The former court of justice an elegant colonnaded structure built in 1870 is now used as a museum of fine arts and ceramics. Opposite is the Wayan museum which was once a church, a warehouse and finally a museum; it is now a museum for Javanese puppetry and art. Other interesting bits and pieces that are still surviving include the Sunda Kelapa, the old port of Jakarta with some of the old warehouses converted into a maritime museum; the old port watchtower, the fish market and the 17th century Jembatan Kota Intan draw bridge across the grand canal, a typical Dutch structure that supposedly linked the English and Dutch forts. Other interesting sights are the still intact Gereja Sion church dating from 1695, the oldest church in Indonesia, as well as the Chartered Bank building, Bank of Indonesia Museum, Bank Mandiri Museum, Jakarta Kota Railway Station built in 1871 and still in use, the well patronized Batavia Café a converted set of old colonial warehouses and Glodok China Town in West Jakarta that the Dutch turned into a Chinese enclave amongst others.
Narrow alleys and roadways leading off Taman Fatahillah are lined with old shop fronts, warehouses and offices that were once the regional hub of the spice trade. This area, an important part of Indonesia’s history pleasantly set on the waterfront is one of the most complete old towns in Asia. Declared a heritage site in 1970s with 284 buildings on the heritage list, a lot of work still needs to be done to bring this area up to scratch to serve as one of Jakarta’s tourist attractions; however it is still captivating to visit.
Close to main transport links and within easy access to key shopping, entertainment and business destinations, with its selection of contemporary accommodation and host of guest services, Millennium Hotel Sirih Jakarta is a longstanding member of the city’s hospitality industry. As a three star hotel in Jakarta guests are offered Jakarta hotel deals of outstanding value for celebratory and other events that include several weekend, room, food and beverage offers that many would find hard to ignore.
