Located in the old town area of Jakarta, the Fatahillah square is the location of many of the remaining well preserved old buildings from the colonial times. During the Dutch settlement this was known as the town square of Batavia. A bustling city centre today, this area is overwhelmingly crowded, booming with people and street vendors. Most Jakartans come here to meet up with friends and enjoy the street food. It’s a carnival atmosphere here all year around.
The National History Museum, along with two other interesting museums are located here. The historical museum on the north of the Fatahillah Square is the former city hall of Batavia. The building was completed in the early 1700 and is known to have dungeons below. There is a rich display of art work, furniture, photography and other memorabilia here that successfully documents the evolution of Jakarta.
The Wayang Museum is on the west side of Fatahllah and has an excellent collection of wooden and leather puppets made in various parts of the country. Puppet performances are held here every Sunday morning. The museum is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday. An inherent aspect of Indonesian culture these puppets are a favourite among the young and the old.
On the east side of the square sits the Museum of Fine arts and ceramics. This has a beautiful collection of authentic batik paintings, ceramics, sculptures and rare paintings that remind you of the rich cultural heritage of this beautiful country. Also in the vicinity of the Fatahillah Square is the Si Jagur. This is a cannon from the Portuguese era that sits in front of the historical museum. Interestingly, this is believed to brings fertility of women, hence you would see a women hoping for a child sit on its barrel occasionally. A short walk to the west of the square is the beautiful Great Canal along which sits beautiful buildings belonging to the Dutch era of Batavia.
If you are on the lookout for accommodation options while you make your holiday arrangements to this beautiful destination, the Citadines Rasuna Jakarta is an amazing serviced apartments Jakarta to reside in. These Jakarta hotel apartments are equipped with modern conveniences and provide a home away from home atmosphere within its cosily decorated ambience.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
