Bandung Heritage Walk
When visiting Bandung there are certainly many attractions to see, however few folk are aware of the fascinating heritage This specific city has to offer, via its early beginnings to what is usually today a sprawling metropolis. the idea all began back within the early 1800s when Dutch colonialists, led by Governor General Daendels, decided to build a road across Java called the Grote Postweg, which was mainly constructed for defence purposes. This specific major undertaking opened up access to many underdeveloped areas of Java, including the Bandung Basin – today home to over ten million people.
Having lived in Bandung for many years, I have rarely ventured into the heart of Bandung to take a closer look at what’s there. as well as I suspect This specific is usually the case for many additional expats living in Bandung as well as weekend visitors via Jakarta who have been deterred by the heavy traffic congestion downtown; missing out on discovering the fascinating early history of the city as well as its significant heritage – the city once known as the Paris of Java.
Whilst we had often sat out within the front of the Savoy Homann to enjoy a cold beer within the afternoon, or attended some evening events there, I had never taken time to explore This specific iconic building as well as the many others like the idea nearby. So when invited to participate in a heritage walk one Saturday morning, I took the opportunity to find out a bit more about This specific central heart of Bandung.
We had a wonderful guide, Pak Amor, who lectures on tourism at universities in Bandung as well as Jakarta. He is usually a native of Bandung, having lived most of his life in This specific graceful city, as well as features a genuine passion to share the history as well as development of Bandung with visitors via home as well as abroad.
Our smaller tour group walked to additional buildings close by, many of these also associated with Schoemaker’s name. On Jalan Braga we visited the old Majestic Cinema, today the Asian-African Conference Museum, as well as what used to be the Societeit Concordia Club House, today called Gedung Merdeka. Both these wonderful old buildings give visitors a not bad glimpse of significant periods within the city’s past, with the Concordia Club providing a feel of what the idea was like in much earlier times as well as the exclusive as well as faux nature of the Dutch colonialists’ environment. Contrastingly the museum features a very different feel, focusing on Indonesian nationalistic pride as well as the distinction of Bandung hosting the Asia Africa conference in 1955, with many well-known dignitaries as well as leaders via the non-aligned countries attending. This specific snapshot of the globe at the time is usually a fascinating exhibition as well as an opportunity to gain an insight at the politics of the early to mid 1950s.
After leaving the museum, our tour crossed the road as well as walked down to Alun-Alun, the grand city square of yesteryears, today sadly not quite the place the idea used to be. Next door is usually the Great Mosque, where via the top of the tower you have a 360 view of Bandung. the idea was via here Pak Amor pointed out the different areas of the city looking northwest to the Chinese quarter as well as northeast to the leafy streets of Dago, where the Dutch mainly settled during the colonial times, as well as to the south, with its sprawling suburbs reaching as far as the eye can see. This specific part of the tour was very much a surprise, as most of us didn’t realise you could take the lift up to the top of the tower for a smaller fee.
Next stop on the tour was back to the Savoy Homann Hotel, which apart via its architectural appeal, has an interesting history as well as smaller gallery with artefacts as well as memorabilia on display. This specific amazing icon of Bandung’s past still retains its charm as well as splendour, as well as an ambience you will find hard to match elsewhere.
via the Savoy Homann, Pak Amor led our smaller group to our final destination, up Jalan Braga to the Sumber Hidangan Café, past smaller galleries, souvenir shops as well as nightspots. This specific once grand social centre of Bandung is usually still a well-known hub for many tourists as well as party goers, as well as whilst many of the old buildings today show signs of neglect, they still reflect a time when This specific narrow street was the essence of a proud as well as confident retail sector providing high quality goods as well as services to the more affluent local residents as well as visitors via Jakarta as well as abroad.
For those wanting to join the Bandung Trails city walk, there are several options:
- Classic Trail (history of early development of Bandung until its Golden Age),
- Art Deco Trail (focus on art deco architecture),
- Market Trail (area around Pasar Baru as well as eastern Bandung’s Chinatown),
- Capitol Trail (Gedung Sate)
- Urban-dung Legend Trail (evening ghost walk)
The prices range via IDR 125,000 – IDR 150,000 per person (with meals as well as entry into some buildings). For groups, special prices can be discussed. See Bandung Trails’ website for further information: www.bandungtrails.com.
When in Bandung next as well as you require more information about the above as well as more attractions, please visit the soon to be reopened Tourist Information Centre at Bamboo Shack, in Jl. Ir. H Juanda No. 462D Dago. the idea’s located just before the local morning market as well as angkot station on the right hand side, as well as where the road becomes an individual lane. Tel. 022 2533529 or visit www.bambooshackdago.com
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Bandung Heritage Walk
Bandung Heritage Walk