A small area in Indonesia, spanning 1.3 square kilometers, to the north of Jakarta Kota Tua still contains traces of Dutch architecture. Known as the Batavia in the 17th century this area and its architecture style is influenced by the Dutch, English, and Chinese. Some of them even show a combination of Dutch and Chinese architecture. Some of the fine buildings here are occupied by the government as Museums.
Once bearing names such as ‘ The Jewel of Asia’ and ‘ Queen of the East ‘ Batavia as it was named by the Dutch was a thriving center for commerce in the whole continent, frequently visited by European sailors mainly due to its strategic location and resources found in abundance.
Completed in 1650 it has a fortress referred to as Kasteel Batavia, a city wall and canals. However due to poor sanitation and tropical diseases the city needed to expand further south forcing people to move out from the cramped city. Later the city was converted in to the administrative capital of the Dutch West Indies. Batavia was renamed Jakarta during the Japanese occupation in 1942 and still remains the capital of Indonesia.
Although main city was named a heritage city most of the original buildings are slowly deteriorating and many not for profit organisations are involved in restoration attempts. However the city does not fail to capture ones imagination with the old world charm. If you are looking for a Jakarta hotel, there are plenty that offer comfortable accommodation to tourists in and around this city. Alila Jakartha is a hotel Jakarta that offers amazing hospitality within its beautiful premises. In its 246 stylishly decorated suites and rooms the hotel provides state of the art accommodation, and star class service standards making you feel perfectly at home only with more luxuries of course.
So walk along the streets of Kota Tua and be amazed by the history that lives on still, visit the museums that have a century old story to tell, and bask in the sun and warmth of this historic city , while staying at a luxury hotel that pampers your senses perfectly.
Kota Tua the Dutch forte of Indonesia
