Jakarta - City Sights

National Monument

The national monument is a 132 m obelisk in the centre of Merdeka square in central Jakarta. The National Monument or Monumen Nasional – Monas for short – symbolizes the struggles during the Indonesian National Revolution between the years 1945 and 1949. The construction of the monument started in 1961 and it was first open to the public in 1975. The monument encapsulates the philosophy of lingam and yoni, the harmony between the feminine and masculine energy of Shakti and Shiva. It also resembles the bloom of the amorphophallus titanum or titan arum, an endemic flower of Sumatra. In the outer yard of the monument there are reliefs that depict instances of the Indonesian history. 

How long did it take to build the National Monument?
9 years

How tall is the national monument?
132 meters

In 1995, what was added to the top of the monument to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Indonesian independence?
15 grams of gold

The monument is sometimes jokingly called by what nickname?
Sukarno’s last erection

What do the numbers 8, 17 and 45 represent?
Indonesian Independence Day

What does the monument represent?
Indonesian independence

What is the more common name of the Monumen Nasional (National Monument)?
Monas

What is the name of the square surrounding the Monas?
Merdeka Park

What three numbers are repeated throughout the monument’s construction and decor?
8, 17 and 45

What year was the monument finally opened to the public?
1975

Jakarta Miniature Park

Jakarta Minuature Park is a cultured-based recreational park located in East Jakarta. 

Coined in 2007, what is the official slogan of the mini park?
Pesona Indonesia (Indonesian Charm)

How large is the park in land area?
150 hectares

How many domes were built to house birds in the Taman Burung?
5

In what year did construction begin?
1972

What date was the park first opened to the public?
20 April, 1975

What designation was awarded to the park by the World Peace Committee in 2014?
International Civilization Park and World Peace Theme Park

What do the six main areas of the park correspond with?
The six main islands of Indonesia

What is contained in the Museum Serangga?
Insects, invertebrates, and small mammals

What is the central feature of the mini park?
Man-made lake and model of Indonesian archipelago

What is the Taman Burung setion?
Bird park

What is the Taman Mini Indonesia Park?
Complete representation of Indonesian life and history

What pavillion was added to the park in 2000?
Indonesian Chinese

What unique modern feature was added to Taman Mini Indonesia in 1984?
Keong Emas IMAX cinema

What wind-powered vehicle encircles the park via an overpass?
Aeromoval Indonesia

Which of the original 27 pavilions was converted to a national museum after its province seceded from Indonesia in 2002?
East Timor

Who envisioned the concept for Taman Mini Indonesia Park?
Former first lady, Tien Suharto

National Museum

The National Museum of Jakarta is an archeological, historical, ethnological and geogrpahical museum, located in the central Jakarta. The museum is also known as “Museum Gajah” – the Elephant Museum, because of the bronze Elephant statue in the forecourt. The Museum officially opened its doors in 1868, during the Dutch colonial period. The museum has preserved about 141,000 objects, ranged from prehistoric artifacts, to archeology, numismatics, ceramics, ethnography, history and geography collections. In 20th of June 2007, the new wing of the museum was inaugurated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The construction of the new wing commenced in 1994. The new wing also houses two temporary exhibition halls for exhibitions that are held for several weeks, like the Majapahit exhibition in 2007 and the Srivijaya exhibition in 2017. 

How many main wings does the national museum have?
2

How many objects are collected in the National Museum?
More than 100,000

The bronze elephant was gifted by King Chulalongkorn of Thailand in what year?
1871

What 4.5 metre stone image is depicted stomping on human skulls in the courtyard?
A Bhairawa king

What is housed in the museum?
Artifacts from Indonesian history

What is mounted in the front courtyard of the museum?
A bronze elephant

What is the new wing of the museum called?
Gedung Arca (House of Statues)

What is the significance of the bearded wooden statues from Nias?
Wisdom

What type of art is featured in the statue collection?
Ancient Hindu-Buddhist

What was stolen from the Treasure Room on September 11, 2013?
Four 10th-century golden artifacts

What year was the Gedung Arca wing opened to the public?
2007

What year was the museum officially handed over to the Indonesian government?
1962

What year was the name changed to the National Museum?
1979

What year was the National Museum opened to the public?
1868

What year were national treasures returned to Indonesia by agreement with the Netherlands?
1977

Where is the National Museum (Museum Nasional) located?
Merdeka Square Park

Which group hosts tours and seminars for the museum?
The Indonesian Heritage Society