THE JAKARTA provincial government has declared 305 cultural heritage sites over the past four years. These include 20 cultural heritage objects, 253 buildings, 28 structures, 2 sites, and 2 areas.
Accoding to Iwan Henry Wardhana, head of the Jakarta Cultural Office, on Thursday (10/10), 2024 said the increasing number of objects designated as cultural heritage reflects the Jakarta provincial government’s efforts to preserve the nation’s tangible cultural heritage, particularly in the Jakarta area.
“There are 109 cultural heritage sites in Central Jakarta, 18 in North Jakarta, 129 in West Jakarta, 14 in South Jakarta, 31 in East Jakarta, and 4 in the Seribu Islands,” he said.
Wardhana noted that the Jakarta Cultural Office has consistently assigned cultural heritage status to historical objects since the establishment of the Cultural Heritage Expert Team in 2014. An object must meet specific criteria to be designated as cultural heritage.
“It must be at least 50 years old, represent a period from at least 50 years ago, hold special significance in science and culture, and embody values that strengthen the nation’s character. From 2022 to 2024, the office designated 18 cultural heritage sites, including 12 buildings and 6 structures, such as the former mansion of First Lady Fatmawati, the first wife of Indonesia’s first president, Soekarno,” he affirmed.
The cultural heritage sites designated in 2024 so far include the Patung Dirgantara Statue, the abandoned Kemayoran Airport Terminal Building, the West Jakarta Training and Development Center Building, the SDN Senen 03 Pagi elementary school building, and the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout.
“They also include the O.G. Khouw Mausoleum, the lighthouse on Sebira Island, the Muslimin Orphanage, the Jatinegara Post Office, Onrust Fort, and the Martello Tower on Bidadari Island,” Wardhana concluded. [antaranews]