Semarang is a small city on the north coast of the island of Java, Indonesia. It is the capital of the province of Central Java. It has an area of 373,67 km square and a population of approximately 1.5 million people, making it the Indonesia’s fifth largest city. A major port during the Dutch colonial era, and still an important port today, the city is known in Indonesia for its large ethnically Chinese population. The name of the city, Semarang, may have originated from the concatenation of the world “asem ” (tamarind) and “arang” (rare). Another version is that Semarang is originated from Chinese World Sam Po Lang (San Bao Loong), meaning ” the city of Sam Po” (Admiral Zheng He).
Semarang’s history dates back to the ninth century, when it was known as Bergota. by the end of fifteenth century,a Javanese islamic missionary from nearby Sultanate of Demak with the name of Kyia Pandan Arang founded a village and an Islam boarding school in the place. On May 1, 1547, after consulting Sunan Kalijaga, Sunan Hadiwijaya of Pajang, declared Kyia Pandan Arang the first Bupati (regent) of Semarang, thus culturally and politically, on this day Semarang was born.
Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of the six provinces of the island of Java. Central Java is both a political entity and a cultural concept. Culturally and historically Yogyakarta is a significant part of Central Java. However, administratively the city and surrounding region has been part of a separate special region after Indonesia Independence. In the same context, but in contrast – the region of Surakarta is a significant incorporated component of Central Java.
The province of Central Java is 32,548.20 km² in area; approximately a quarter of the total land area of Java. Its population is 31,820,000 (2005), making it the third most-populous province in Indonesia after West Java , and constituting approximately one quarter of the island’s population.
Geography
Located in the middle of the island of Java, the Central Java province is bordered by the West Java and the East Java provinces. A small portion of its south region is the Yogyakarta Special Region province, fully enclosed by the Central Java province. Yogyakarta is historically and culturally part of the Central Java region, although it is currently a separate political entity. To the north and the south, the Central Java province faces the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean. Central Java also includes some offshore islands: Karimun Jawa Islands in the north, and Nusakambangan in the southwest.
The average temperature in Central Java is between 18–28 degrees celsius and the relative humidity varies between 73–94 percent. While a high level of humidity exists in most low lying parts of the province, it drops significantly in the upper mountains. The highest average annual rainfall of 3,990 mm with 195 rainy days was recorded in Salatiga
The geography of Central Java is regular with small strips of lowlands near the northern and southern coast with mountain ranges in the centre of the region. To the west lies an active stratovolcano Mount Slamet, then a bit further to the east is the Dieng Volcanic Complex on the Dieng Plateau. At southeast of the Dieng plateau lies the high plateau of Kedu Plain, bordered on the east side by the twin volcanoes of Mount Merapi (the most active volcanoes in Indonesia) and Mount Merbabu. At the south of Semarang, lies Mount Ungaran, and to the north-east of the city lies Mount Muria on the most northern tip of Java. To the east near the border with East Java lies Mount Lawu, where its eastern slopes are in the East Java province.
Due to active volcanic history and therefore volcanic ash, Central Java is a very fertile region for agriculture. Sight of extensive paddy fields is common, except in the southeastern — Gunung Kidul region — partly due to the high concentration of limestone and its location in a rain shadow from the prevailing weather.
Two major rivers run through Central Java; Serayu in the west, which empties in the Indian Ocean, and the Solo River (Javanese: Bengawan Solo), which flows to the East Java province.
Administrative division
On the eve of the World War II in 1942, Central Java was subdivided into 7 residencies (Dutch residentie or plural residenties, Javanese karésiḍènan or karésidhènan) which correspond more or less with the main regions of this area. These residencies were Banjoemas, Kedoe, Pekalongan, Semarang, and Djapara-Rembang added with the so called Gouvernement Soerakarta and Gouvernement Jogjakarta. However after the local elections in 1957 the role of these regencies were reduced until they finally disappeared.
Nowadays Central Java (excluding Yogyakarta) is divided in 29 regencies (kabupaten) and 6 cities (kota, previously kotamadya and kota pradja). A regency can also be called a rural district while an autonomous city is an urban district. Below are regencies and autonomous cities of Central Java:
* Regencies: Banjarnegara, Banyumas, Batang, Blora,
Boyolali, Brebes, Cilacap, Demak, Grobogan,
Jepara, Karanganyar, Kebumen, Kendal,
Klaten, Kudus, Magelang, Pati, Pekalongan,
Pemalang, Purbalingga, Purworejo, Rembang,
Semarang, Sragen, Sukoharjo, Tegal,
Temanggung, Wonogiri, Wonosobo
* Cities : Magelang, Pekalongan, Salatiga, Semarang,
Surakarta, Tegal
These contemporary regencies and cities can further be subdivided into 565 sub-districts (kecamatan). Furthermore sub-districts are subdivided into 7,804 rural communes or “villages” (desa) and 764 urban communes (kelurahan).
History
Java has been inhabited by humans or their ancestors (hominina) since prehistorical times. In Central Java and the adjacent territories in East Java remains known as “Java Man” were discovered in the 1890s by the Dutch anatomist and geologist Eugène Dubois. Java Man belongs to the species Homo erectus. They are believed to be about 1.7 millions years old.
Then about 40,000 years ago, Australoid peoples related to modern Australian Aboriginals and Melanesians colonised Central Java. They were assimilated or replaced by Mongoloid Austronesians by about 3000 BC, who brought with them technologies of pottery, outrigger canoes, the bow and arrow, and introduced domesticated pigs, fowls, and dogs. They also introduced cultivated rice and millet.
Recorded history began in Central Java in the 7th century AD. The writing, as well as Hinduism and Buddhism, were brought to Central Java by Indians from South Asia. Central Java was a centre of power in Java back then.
In 664 AD, the Chinese monk Hui-neng visited the Javanese port city of Ho-ling, where he translated various Buddhist scriptures into Chinese with the assistance of the Javanese Buddhist monk Jñānabhadra. It is not precisely known what is meant by the name Ho-ling. It used to be considered the Chinese transcription of Kalinga but it now most commonly thought of as a rendering of the name Areng. Ho-ling is believed to be located somewhere between Semarang and Jepara.
The first dated inscription in Central Java is the Inscription of Canggal which is from 732 AD (or 654 Saka). This inscription which hailed from Kedu, is written in Sanskrit in Pallava script. In this inscription it is written that a Shaivite king named Sri Sanjaya established a kingdom called Mataram. Under the reign of Sanjaya’s dynasty several monuments such as the Prambanan temple complex were built.
In the meantime a competing dynasty arose, which adhered to Buddhism. This was the Sailendra dynasty, also from Kedu, which built the Borobudur temple.
After 820 there is no more mention of Ho-ling in Chinese records. This fact coincides with the overthrow of the Sailendras by the Sanjayas who restored Shaivism as the dominant religion. Then in the middle of the 10th century, for unknown reason, the centre of power moved to Eastern Java.
A few centuries later, after the destruction of the great Hindu Majapahit Empire in the 15th – 16th centuries by the Central Javanese Muslim kingdom of Demak, the Javanese centre of power moved back to Central Java. In the meanwhile European traders began to frequent Central Javanese ports. The Dutch established a presence in the region through their East India Company.
After Demak itself collapsed, a new kingdom on the Kedu Plain emerged. This new kingdom, which was also a sultanate bore the old name of “Mataram”. Under the reign of Sultan Agung, Mataram was able to conquer almost all of Java and beyond by the 17th century, but internal disputes and Dutch intrigues forced Mataram to cede more and more land to the Dutch. These cessions finally led to several partitions of Mataram. The first partition was after the Treaty of Giyanti on February 13, 1755. This treaty divided the old kingdom in two, the Sultanate of Surakarta and the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. Then few years later Surakarta was divided again with the establishment of the Mangkunegaran after the Treaty of Salatiga on March 17, 1757.
During Napoleonic Wars in Europe, Central Java as part of the Netherlands East-Indies, a Dutch colony, was handed over to the British. In 1813, the Sultanate of Yogyakarta was also divided with the eastablishment of the Pakualamanan.
After the British left, the Dutch came back as was decided by the Congress of Vienna. Between 1825 – 1830 the Java War ravaged Central Java. The result of the war was a consolidation of the Dutch power. The power and the territories of the divided kingdom of Mataram were greatly reduced.
However Dutch rule brought modernization to Central Java. In the 1900s the modern province of Central Java, the predecessor of the current one was created. It consisted of five regions or gewesten in Dutch. Surakarta and Yogyakarta were autonomous regions called Vorstenlanden (literally “princely states”). Then after the Indonesian independence the province of Central Java was formalized on August 15, 1950, excluding Yogyakarta but including SurakartA. Since then there have been no (major) changes in the administrative division of Central Java.
After the so-called failed coup d’état by the communists on September 30, 1965, an anti communist purge took place in Central Java. Communists and alleged communists were brutally murdered without trial by the army. Others were interned in concentration camps, the most infamous of which was on the isle of Buru in the Moluccas (first used as a place of political exile by the Dutch). Many were executed years later but most were released in 1979
In 1998, preluding the downfall of president Suharto, anti Chinese violences occurred in Surakarta and surrounding. Many Chinese assets and other buildings were burnt by rioting mobs. In 1999 some public buildings in Surakarta were burnt again by supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri after the Indonesian parliament failed to choose her as the president and chose Abdurrahman Wahid instead. Violence flared up again in Surakarta in the early years of 2000’s by Muslim extremists in Surakarta. They held ’sweeping actions’ against Western foreigners who reside in this city after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
In May 2006, earthquakes in southern Central Java and Yogyakarta devastated many buildings and caused thousands of deaths and more than 37,000 injuries. Today, some areas are still under reconstruction.
Dieng Plateau, is a marshy plateau that forms the floor of a caldera complex on the Dieng active volcano complex, and is located near Wonosobo, Central Java, Indonesia.
It is the site for eight small Hindu temples from the 7th and 8th centuries, the oldest Hindu temples in Central Java, and the first known standing stone structures in Java. They are originally thought to have numbered 400 but only 8 remain. The Dieng structures were small and relatively plain, but stone architecture developed substantially in only a matter of decades resulting in masterpieces such as the Prambanan complex and Borobudur. The name “Dieng” comes from Di Hyang which means “Abode of the Gods” Its misty location almost 2000 m above sea level, and its mists, poisonous effusions and sulphur-coloured lakes make it a particularly auspicious place for religious tribute. The temples are small shrines built as monuments to the god-ancestors, rather than as a convenience to man.
Part of General Sudirman’s guerilla campaign during Indonesian War of Independence took place in the area.
Demographics
As of the 2005 census, Central Java’s population stood at some 31,820,000. As of the 1990 census, the population was 28,516,786. So the population has increased approximately 11.6% in 15 years.
The three biggest regencies in terms of population are: Brebes, Banyumas and Cilacap. Together these regencies make up approximately 16% of the Central Javanese population. Major urban population centers are greater Semarang, greater Surakarta and Brebes-Tegal-Slawi area.
Religion
Officially, in 1990 the majority of the Central Javanese population or about 96%, was nominally Muslims. The second largest religion was Protestantism which was professed by 2% of the population. The remainder of the population was either Catholic, Hindu or Buddhist.
Although the overwhelming majority of Javanese are Muslims, many of them also profess indigenous Javanese beliefs. Clifford Geertz, in his book about the religion of Java made a distinction between the so-called santri Javanese and abangan Javanese. He considered santri Javanese as orthodox Muslims while abangan Javanese are nominal Muslims that devote more energy to indigenous traditions.
Dutch Protestants were active in missionary activities and were rather successful. The Dutch Catholic Jesuit missionary man, F.G.C. van Lith also achieved some success, especially in areas around the central-southern parts of Central Java and Yogyakarta in the beginning of the 20th century, and he is buried at the Jesuit necropolis at Muntilan.
After the Overthrow of Sukarno in 1965, religious identification of citizens became compulsory. Therefore there has been a renaissance of Buddhism and Hinduism since then. As one has to choose a religion out of the five official religions in Indonesia; i.e. Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, the latter two became alternatives for people who didn’t want to be Muslims or Christians.
Confucianism is also common amongst Chinese Indonesians. Since 2006 it is a recognised official religion.
Ethnicity
The vast majority of the population in Central Java are ethnic Javanese, they constitute approximately 98% of the whole population. In addition to the Javanese, small pockets of Sundanese communities are to be found near the border with West Java, especially in Brebes and Cilacap regencies. Sundanese toponyms are common in these regions such as Dayeuhluhur in Cilacap, Ciputih and Citimbang in Brebes and even Cilongok as far away in Banyumas.
In urban centers, other minorities such as Chinese Indonesians and Arabs are common. The Chinese are even to be found in rural areas. The urban areas that are densely populated by Chinese Indonesian, are called pecinan, which means “China Town“.
Language
As the overwhelming majority of the population of Central Java are Javanese, the most dominant language is Javanese. There are several dialects which are spoken in Central Java, the two main dialects are western Javanese (also called Basa Ngapak which includes the “Banyumasan dialect” and the dialect of Brebes-Tegal-Pekalongan) and central Javanese.
Sundanese is also spoken in some pockets near the border with West Java, especially in Brebes and Cilacap regencies. However, according to some sources, Sundanese used to be spoken as far away as in Dieng Plateau. This former boundary of Sundanese coincides more or less with the isogloss dividing Central Javanese with Western Javanese.
In urban centers Indonesian is widely spoken.
Culture
Central Java is considered to be the heart of the Javanese culture. Home of the Javanese courts, Central Javanese culture formed what non-Javanese see as the “Javanese Culture” along with it stereotypes. The ideal conducts and morals of the courts (such as politeness, nobility and grace) influence the people tremendously. The people of Central Java are known as soft-spoken, very polite, extremely class-conscious, apathetic, down-to-earth, et cetera. These stereotypes formed what most non-Javanese see as “Javanese Culture”, when in fact not all of the Javanese people behave that way. Moreover, most Javanese are far from the court culture.
Creative arts
Architecture
The architecture of Central Java is characterised by the juxtaposition of the old and the new and a wide variety of architectural styles, the legacy of many successive influences by the Indians, the Persians and the Arabs, the Chinese, and the Europeans. In particular, northern coastal cities such as Semarang, Tegal and Pekalongan can boast fine colonial European architecture. The European and Chinese influence can be seen in Semarang’s temple of Sam Po Kong dedicated to Zheng He and the Domed Church built in 1753. The latter is the second oldest church in Java and the oldest in Central Java. Inland Surakarta, as a former capital, also has some fine European architecture.
Famous for its religious heritage, Central Java has some notable religious buildings. The Borobudur and the Prambanan temple complexes are among the largest Buddhist and Hindu structures in the world. In general, a characteristic Javanese mosque doesn’t have a dome as its roof but a Meru-like roof instead, which is reminiscent of a Hindu or Buddhist temple. The tower of the famous Mosque of Kudus resembles a Hindu-Javanese or Balinese temple more than a traditional Middle-Eastern mosque.
Batik
Central Java is famous and well known for its exquisite batik, a generic wax-resist dyeing technique used on textile. There are different styles of batik motives. A centre of batik production is Pekalongan. Other centres are Surakarta and Yogyakarta. Batik in Pekalongan style which represent gaya pesisir (or coastal style) is different than the one in Surakarta and Yogyakarta, which represent batik from the heartland of Java (gaya kejawèn).
Dance
You can even see the court influences in the art forms. The dances of the courts of Java are usually slow and graceful, with no excessive gestures. The people followed these kind of approach, and as a result, slow-paced and graceful movements can even be found in folk dances throughout Central Java (with some exceptions). You can enjoy the beauty of Central Javanese dances in “Kamajaya-Kamaratih” or “Karonsih”, usually performed in a traditional Javanese wedding.
Theater
There are several kinds of Central Javanese theater and performing arts. The most well known are is of course the Javanese wayang theater. There are several kinds of Central Javanese wayang, amongst others: wayang kulit, wayang klitik, wayang bèbèr, wayang golèk, and wayang wong. Wayang kulit are shadow puppets theater with leather puppets. The stories are loosely based on Mahabharata and Ramayana cycles. Wayang klitik are puppets theater with flat wooden puppets. The stories are based on Panji (king) stories. Panji was a native Javanese princes who set of in a ‘journeys of desire’. Wayang bèbèr is scroll theater, and it involves “performing” scenes of a story elaborately drawn and painted on rolled sheets. Wayang golèk consists of three dimensional wooden puppets. The narrative can be based on anything, but usually the stories are drawn from Islamic heroic narratives. Finally wayang wong is wayang theater involving live figures; actors who are performing a play. The narrative however must be based on Mahabharata or Ramayana.
In addition to wayang, there is another form of theater which is called ketoprak. Ketoprak is a staged play by actors accompanied with Javanese gamelan. The narrative is free but cannot be based on Mahabharata or Ramayana. Otherwise it will be some kind of wayang wong.
Music
Central Javanese music is almost synonymous with gamelan. This is a musical ensemble typically featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums, and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings, and vocalists may also be included. The term refers more to the set of instruments than the players of those instruments. A gamelan as a set of instruments is a distinct entity, built and tuned to stay together — instruments from different gamelan are not interchangeable. However, gamelan is not typically Central Javanese as it is also known somewhere else.
Contemporary Javanese pop music is called campursari. It is a fusion between gamelan and Western instruments, much like kroncong. Usually the lyrics are in Javanese, but not always. One notable singer is Didi Kempot, born in Sragen, north of Surakarta. Didi Kempot mostly sings in Javanese.
Literature
It can be argued that Javanese literature started in Central Java. The oldest known literary work in the Javanese language is the Inscription of Sivagrha from Kedu Plain. This inscription which is from 856 AD, is written as a kakawin or Javanese poetry with Indian metres. Then the oldest of narrative poems, Kakawin Ramayana, which tells the well-known story of Ramayana is believed to have come from Central Java. It can be safely assumed that this kakawin must have been written in Central Java in the 9th century.
After the shift of Javanese power to East Java, it had been quiet from Central Java for several centuries, concerning Javanese literature until the 16th century. At this time the centre of power was shifted back to Central Java. The oldest work written in Modern Javanese language concerning Islam is the so-called “Book of Bonang” or also “The Admonitions of Seh Bari”. This work is extant in just one manuscript, now kept in the University Library in Leiden, The Netherlands as codex Orientalis 1928. It is assumed that this manuscript originates from Tuban, in East Java and was taken to the Netherlands after 1598. However this work is attributed to Sunan Bonang, one of the nine Javanese saints who spread Islam in Java (Wali Songo) and Sunan Bonang came from Bonang, a place in Demak Regency, Central Java. So it can be argued that this work also mark the beginning of Islamic literature in Central Java.
However the pinnacle of Central Javanese literature was created at the courts of the kings of Mataram in Kartasura and later in Surakarta and Yogyakarta, mostly attributed to the Yasadipura family. The most famous member of this family is Rangga Warsita who lived in the 19th century. He is the best known of all Javanese writers and also one of the most prolific. He is also known as bujangga panutup or “the last court poet”.
After the Indonesian independence, the Javanese language as a medium was pushed to the background. Still one of the greatest contemporary Indonesian author, Pramoedya Ananta Toer was born in 1925 in Blora, Central Java. He was an Indonesian author of novels, short stories, essays, polemics, and histories of his homeland and its people. A well-regarded writer in the West, Pramoedya’s outspoken and often politically charged writings faced censorship in his native land during the pre-reformation era. For opposing the policies of both founding president Soekarno, as well as those of its successor, the New Order regime of Soeharto, he faced extrajudicial punishment. During the many years in which he suffered imprisonment and house arrest, he became a cause célèbre for advocates of freedom of expression and human rights. In his works he writes much about life and social problems in Java.
Economy
Agriculture
Much of Central Java is a fertile agricultural region, and the primary food crop is wet rice. An elaborate irrigation network of canals, dams, aqueducts, and reservoirs has greatly contributed to Central Java’s the rice-growing capacity over the centuries. In 2001, productivity of rice was 5022 kilograms/ha, mostly contributed by irrigated paddy field (± 98%). Klaten Regency had the highest productivity with 5525 kilograms/ha.
Other crops, also mostly grown in lowland areas on small peasant landholdings, are corn (maize), cassava, peanuts (groundnuts), soybeans, and sweet potatoes. Terraced hillslopes and irrigated paddy fields are familiar features of the landscape. Kapok, sesame, vegetables, bananas, mangoes, durian fruits, citrus fruits, and vegetable oils are produced for local consumption. Tea, coffee, tobacco, rubber, sugarcane and kapok; and coconuts are exported. Several of these cash crops at a time are usually grown on large family estates. Livestock, especially water buffalo, is raised primarily for use as draft animals. Salted and dried fish are imported.
The motto of Central Java is Prasetya Ulah Sakti Bhakti Praja. This is a Javanese phrase meaning “A vow of devotion with all might to the country”.
The coat of arms of Central Java depicts a legendary flask, Kundi Amerta or Cupu Manik, formed in a pentagon representing Pancasila. In the center of the emblem stands a sharp bamboo spike (representing the fight for independence, and it has 8 sections which represent Indonesia’s month of Independence) with a golden five-pointed star (representing faith in God), superimposed on the black profile of a candi (temple) with seven stupas, while the middle stupa is the biggest. This candi is reminiscent of the Borobudur. Under the candi wavy outlines of waters are visible. Behind the candi two golden mountain tops are visible. This twin mountains represents the unity between the people and the government. The emblem shows a green sky above the candi. Above, the shield is adorned with a red and white ribbon, the colours of the Indonesian flag. Lining the left and right sides of the shield are respectively stalk of rice (17 of them, representing Indonesia’s day of Independence) and cotton flowers (5 of them, each one is 4-petaled, representing Indonesia’s year of Independence). At the bottom, the shield is adorned with a golden red ribbon. On the ribbon the name “Central Java” (Jawa Tengah) is inscribed in black.
AMBARAWA
Where is Ambarawa?
Ambarawa is in Central Java, Indonesia, about 30km south of the provincial capital Semarang and some 75km north of the educational centre and tourist city of Yogyakarta. It is also about 70km north-west of Solo (Surakarta). It is on the main road between Semarang and Yogyakarta and a few km south of the main road between Semarang and Solo.
Where can I stay locally?
There are small local hotels in Ambarawa, but visitors are recommended to travel up to the nearby hill resort of Bandungan (there are regular minibuses taking just 10 minutes for those without their own transport) where there is accommodation to suit every pocket and good restaurants. However, try to avoid Bandungan at weekends (and school holidays, particularly in June/early July) when it gets very crowded with Indonesian tourists. During the week and out of season it is almost deserted except for local people attending the large fruit, vegetable and flower markets.
What other tourist attractions are there in the area?
Bandungan is an attractive hill station, the climate is cool and refreshing and there are pleasant walks in the hills. It makes a lovely break from the hot polluted plains of Java. The flower market here is extremely interesting. Some of the nearby plantations offer visits under their AgroTourist program (for a visit to a coffee plantation at Losari south of Bedono, contact Mrs Gabriella Teggia via http://www.losaricoffeeplantation.com/ ). Near Bandungan there are the Hindu-Buddhist temples at Gedong Songo and not far away are the world heritage sites at Borobudur and Prambanan. The Dieng plateau with its geysers and temples at 2000m is not far away. For those with more energy, walking up the active volcano Gunung Merapi (check locally if it is safe to climb) and the extinct volcano Gunung Merbabu both at around 3000m are well worth the effort. (I climbed them both on successive days in 1997!). These and the major cities of Semarang, Solo and Yogyakarta are described in all the standard guide books.
When is the best time to visit Ambarawa?
The conventional time to visit Ambarawa is during the drier season which runs between May and September. As stated above it is best to avoid weekends and the school holidays. The best time is usually mid-week from mid-July through to the end of September. Even during the rainy season, it does not rain continuously!
The following is (broadly) a translation of what appears on a leaflet issue by the Museum:”Ambarawa in the old Dutch Colonial Government era was a military city, so that King Willem I wanted to build a railway station to enable the government to transport its troops to Semarang. In May 21, 1873 the Ambarawa railway station was built on a 127,500 sqm land.The glory days of Ambarawa Station which was well known as Willem I station ended with the termination of the Ambarawa-Kedungjati(-Semarang) railway service. In 1976 the railway services for Ambarawa-Secang-Magelang was also terminated.. (This latter is wrong, the southern service finished before 1975. RD)With the closure of Ambarawa Railway Station, the Governor of Central Java, Mr. Soepardjo Roestam, and the Head of Railway Company in Central Java region, Mr Soeharso, decided to establish Ambarawa Station as a Railway Museum, collecting 21 locomotives which served in the fight for Indonesia’s independence, particularly in transporting the national army.The collection in the Ambarawa Museum comprises:
· Mountain Rail for Tourism
· Old telephone
· Old Morse telegraph equipments
· Old tables, chairs and cupboards
· Old bells and signal equipments
· 21 locomotives.
Visitors can charter the 9 kilometers Ambarawa-Bedono rack-track tourism train with mostly 6% gradient. The return trip for the train with the capacity of 90 passengers.
Visitors can see the historic locomotives and coaches, the glorious transportation mode in the old days. The objectives of the establishment of the Railway Museum is to preserve and to utilize the historic asset and the environment to help to strengthen the development of arts, science, and technology to understand the culture. Knowing the history, we will understand the role of railway as a land transportation mode and its service to the people and the country from time to time.
With the establishment of the Railway Museum, it is expected that the younger generation can inherit and understand the role of railway as one of the reliable transport mode.
The museum was established in the 1970s primarily to preserve a wide selection of the steam locomotives which were then coming to the end of their useful lives on the 3ft 6in (1067mm) gauge railways of the Indonesian State Railway (the then Perusahaan Negara Kereta-Api, PNKA). These are parked in the open air next to the original station, originally a transhipment point between the 4ft 8½in gauge branch from Kedungjati to the north-east and the 3ft 6in gauge line onward towards Yogyakarta via Magelang to the south. It is still possible to see that the two sides of the station were built to accommodate different size trains.
Power lock of train by steam
Ambarawa lies some way above sea level and was an administrative centre for the Dutch colonialists. It is now a popular area for local tourists, particularly with the nearby hill station of Bandungan and the Hindu-Buddhist temples at Gedong Songo. Foreign tourists pass through the area particularly in conjunction with visiting the Buddhist temple at Borobudur. Hence the museum is well situated and its development into a world class site is not only desirable but feasible with the right kind of backing. Currently it is still part of the State Railway who have supported it to the best of its ability since formation although funding has never been generous. Now the provincial Government of Central Java is increasingly taking an interest from the point of view of its heritage significance and its potential as a tourist attraction. Non-Governmental bodies like the Semarang Heritage Society are also acting to assist and there is also an unofficial overseas group The Friends of Ambarawa Railway Museum.
The line towards Yogya (called ’south’ on these pages although it actually runs roughly south-west from Ambarawa) was of particular interest because it contained sections of rack railway between Jambu and Secang, the only such operation in Java. This line beyond Bedono closed in the early 1970s after it was damaged in an earthquake, but had already lost most of its passenger traffic to buses on the parallel road. The line from Kedungjati (called ‘north’ on these pages because its ultimate destination was Semarang although it actually runs east initially from Ambarawa) survived into the middle 1970s but saw very little traffic near the end, not least because it was far quicker to travel more directly by road to Semarang. The presence of the rack line meant that there was probably never much through traffic from Semarang to Yogyakarta.
Also kept was the original locomotive shed which for over 25 years has served as the operational base for a service to Jambu and up the rack to Bedono. This has always operated as a ‘charter train on demand’ service. For many years it ran only a few times a year, but now it is extremely popular and during the dry season between June and August trains tend to run almost every day. Currently four locomotives are serviceable, the 2 B25 0-4-2T (B2502/3) are from the original fleet of 5 supplied to the line about 100 years ago. (A third locomotive (B2501) is preserved in a park in the town nearby.) The E10 0-10-0T E1060 was originally delivered to West Sumatra in the 1960s for working the coal railway there but was brought to Java a few years ago. It cannot (yet) go up the rack section. Similarly, conventional locomotive C1218 which was restored to working order in 2006.
The line north to Tuntang was left in place when the service was withdrawn and it is currently being reinstated (Part I – Ambarawa and Part II – out in the country). The trackbed onwards to Kedungjati is still largely in place but it would be an extremely expensive job to restore it.
Although the staff are all employees of the railway, most have been at the Museum for many years and are unlikely to leave before retirement. This shows Mr. Sudhono (stationmaster) and his staff:
KARIMUN JAWA ISLAND
The turtle population in Karimunjawa archipelago, north of Central Java, has been decreasing due to local people’s consumption of turtle meat and eggs, while the sea reptile’s habitat has also been damaged, posing the threat of extinction. Turtles have been hunted, slaughtered and consumed by locals. To conserve the protected species, wildlife observers affiliated with the center launched a conservation drive in July 2004, setting up a semi-natural turtle hatching center on Karimunjawa’s Menjangan Besar Island. This 56-hectare island was chosen because of its conformity to turtle hatching requirements and its proximity to the main island, Karimunjawa Island, which is only 10 minutes’ sail away, thus facilitating control.
A survey had found that there were economic motives behind the turtle demand, with hunters seeking extra income and buyers wanting cheaper meat for festivities as Slamet Susanto explains further. The archipelago has 27 islands and only five are inhabited. Nearly all of the islands are home to sea turtles. For the protection of Karinmunjawa’s green and hawksbill turtles, fishermen discovering turtle nests and reporting them to the conservation park are given fuel compensation, which depends on the distance of the burrows from the hatching center and comes within the range of Rp 250,000-600,000. The compensation is higher than their income from turtle egg sales so that generally locals choose to report to the park.
The center’s field officers collect eggs from the nests to prevent them from being damaged. They are hatched on the shore of Menjangan Besar Island, where a semi-natural hatchery measuring two by four meters is ready to contain about 12 buckets of turtle eggs. The use of buckets is meant to protect the eggs against predators and make control easier. After hatching, baby turtles are put into baskets until the “appropriate” time for their release into the wild, usually in a tourism promotion event. The center receives donations for conservation purposes from visitors during such events. “All expenses are covered by the national park but sometimes we get extra funds from turtle release donors for hatchery safeguarding costs,” he said.
Young turtles should ideally be released in the place where their eggs were found in the hope that as adults later, they will return there to lay eggs. But not all the young can be freed in their original nest because of the high cost of doing this. The center has also been campaigning for turtle conservation by appealing that all turtles netted while fishing be released into the sea. According to Sutris, most of the 9,000 people in the island group are fishermen, so that turtles are frequently caught in the fishing nets they set up.
Out of the 8,183 eggs gathered, 4,310 or 53 percent had hatched so far. Nearly all of the eggs put in the hatchery have come from nests reported by local fishermen. Tagging has also been conducted to monitor the turtles landing on the islands, involving 34 green turtles and 94 hawksbill turtles.
In general, turtle conservation applies two methods. The first is the conservative or natural method, by allowing turtles to hatch naturally in their nests and preventing egg thefts. “Turtles’ landing habitat is also monitored in this conservative system of conservation.
The second is the positive conservation method of increasing the turtle population. Their eggs are moved to the hatchery and their young nursed for some time before being released to nature. Susi added that in a 2002 survey, the total number of turtles in the Karimunjawa islands was estimated at only 200. The study was based on the nests they left behind and landing areas.
Conservation officials at the park expressed hope the widely supported conservation effort would protect and restore the turtle population. Restoring turtle numbers in the area would also benefit local fishermen because these animals consume red algae, which may be lethal to fish spawn.
Green turtle
1. Introduction. The natural panorama, under water beauty, various sea organisms, mangrove forests, all are still be natural and pure, so that Karimunjawa now becoming a sea national park. The Karimunjawa islands is administratively part of Jepara regency, located approximately 45 miles northwest direction from Jepara city. Totally, this area covers 107,226 ha, with 100,105 ha is sea part, and the reminder is land. The average temperature in this area is about 26 until 30 degrees Celcius, with minimum temperature is 22 Celcius and maximum is 34 Celcius. The fascination of Karimunjawa is its flora and fauna. It can be seen from five species of flora ecosystem, those are; coral reef ecosystem, forest of mangrove, coastal forest, field-ponder and lowland forest. On the other side, there are many kinds of fauna, like long tail monkey, deer, and also aquatic fauna which is consisting of 242 decorative fish types and 133 kinds of aquatic biota and there are also 2 types of turtles which live in National Park ecosystem of Karimunjawa islands.
2. Nyamplungan Legend. According to folklore, the word Karimun comes from 2 words that is “kremun-kremun” means not so clear. The legend of Karimun is related to Sunan Nyamplungan story. Sunan Nyamplungan was the name Sunan Muria’s son. His name was Amir Hasan. He was very spoiled by his mother, and because of it, he tended to be naughty. By his father, he was entrusted to his uncle, Sunan Kudus.After some time being under Sunan Kudus’s upbringing, he became an obedient young man. The he was sent back to his parent. But he became naughty again here. So Sunan Muria asked him to go somewhere which was seen “kremun-kremun” (not so clear) from the top of Muria mountain. At last, he decided to go to the place where his father asked. He was accompanied by two guards and two seeds of Nyamplung fruit with him. He also brought mustaka (part of the top of mosque) which is now still residing in complex of Sunan Nyamplungan grave. The place where Amir Hasan resided was crowded by Nyamplung tree, and called as dukuh Nyamplung.
3. Local Community. The people who lived in Karimun jawa come from some tribes having a unique traditional house. The tribes lived in Karimun jawa are Java, Bugis Makassar, and Madura. Java tribe community dominantly lived in dukuh Karimun, dukuh Legon Lele, dukuh Nyamplungan, and dukuh Mrican. Almost of them are farmers and doing some activities in home industry scope, like brick and coconut oil. Bugis Makassar tribe community dominantly lived in Kemujan island, dukuh Batu Lawang, dukuh Legon Gede, and dukuh Tlogo. This tribe is well known as good sailormans, so the dominant profession in this tribe is fisherman. People in this community are well known for their weaving sarong goods. Almost the same as Bugis Makassar, people in Madura tribe community dominantly are fishermans. Besides, they are good to make some foods, like dried-fish.
Tourism Interests With its beautiful nature which relatively pure, Karimun jawa becomes an interested place that offering maritime tourism object and natural adventure. Besides, local community lived in Karimun jawa with their unique traditions and culture, bring some fascinations to this place. Maritime objects offer various tourism activities and water sports. Some are below.- Diving. This activity can be done in northern and western part of Karimun jawa island, eastern part Menjangan Besar island, around of Menjangan Kecil island, southern and western part of Geleang, western part of Bengkoang island, western part of Parang island, eastern part Kembar island, around of Katang island, northern and eastern part of Krakal Kecil island , and western part of Kumbang island.- Snorkling. This activity can be done in Menjangan Besar and Menjangan Kecil island, western part of Bengkoang island, around of Kembar island, and northern and eastern part of Krakal Kecil island. FishingTourists can do this activity in around of Menjangan Besar and Menjangan Kecil island, Menyawakan island, Kemujan island, Parang island, around of Kembar island, and western part of Bengkoang island.- Swimming. Locations used by swimming activity are eastern and southern part of Karimun jawa island, southern and western part of Menjangan Kecil island, western of Tengah island, around of Parang island, Kembar island, and Kumbang island.- Sunbathing. Almost all the coasts in Karimunjawa island have white sands with long coast line. This situation made a lot of Karimun jawa coasts are right places for sunbathing, watching the sunset, or sunrise.- Roaming the SeaFor anyone who can not swim and dive, using glass bottom boat can be a good reason to roam the sea in Karimun jawa. The tourists are able to see the under water scenery. It’s really fantastic for whom like fishing, snorkling, and diving.- Watching Under Water Aquarium Menjangan Besar island have a location where an under water aquarium resides. Here, the tourists can see beauty of aquatic faunas, the life of sharks, and others.
With its pure various vegetations and geological condition, Karimun jawa is a challenge for natural adventure. Locations available for this activity are Karimun jawa island, Kemujan island, and Parang island. In Kemujan island, there is a location named Batu Lawang which giving the beauty of Karimunjawa island scenery to visitors. Besides of its nature, the local community also makes added value to this tourism objects. Various cultural attractions are available in Karimun jawa, such as reog (lumping horse), pencak silat, rebana, and Javanese gamelan (Javanese traditional music). Also available some attractions regularly held by local community, like turtles releasing ceremony, boats releasing ceremony, and khoul sunan Nyamplungan (1st Suro ritual). The Nyamplungan legend makes this place as a pilgrimage destination object.
SouvenirsTraveling without buying souvenirs is like having dinner without Brandy. That is the words we may hear from the tourists. Karimunjawa is full of souvenirs made by local society. Most of souvenirs are made from rareness wood, like Dewadaru wood, Setigi wood, and Kalimasada wood. You can find keris (Javanese weapon) and tasbih (prayer beads) in each island of Karimunjawa archipelago. For woodcrafts, below are places for ordering.- Al Badri Woodcraft Center, Legon Cikmas village- Labiki, Kapuran street, Karimunjawa island.
SURAKARTA ( SOLO)
Surakarta (its formal name; locally it is referred to as Solo) is an Indonesian city of approximately 500,000 people located in Central Java. It is some 65 km (40 miles) northeast of Yogyakarta, and 100 km (60 miles) southeast of Semarang. The city was a center of power during the 18th century Mataram Sultanate. It is also at times called Soerakarta.
The local inhabitants are more familiar with and use the name of “Solo” or “Sala” for the city, rather than “Surakarta”. “Surakarta” is, however, used in formal and official contexts. The city has a similar name with the neighboring district of “Kartasura”, where the previous capital of Mataram was located.
There are 2 major markets in the city, namely Pasar Klewer and Pasar Gede. Pasar Klewer is famous as the biggest textile market in the region.
History
This is the older of the two royal cities in Central Java (the other is Yogyakarta), and its ruling family can lay claim to being the rightful heirs to the Mataram dynasty. Like Yogyakarta, Solo has two royal palaces and a number of museums, yet its tourist industry is nowhere near as developed. The city’s main source of income is from textiles, and Solo has the biggest batik market on Java. Solo also makes an ideal base from which to visit the home of Java Man at Sangiran, as well as the intriguing temples Candi Ceto and Candi Sukuh.
Founding The Dynasty
A series of wars and clashes between the Adipati (dukes) followed the death of the last Sultan of Demak Bintoro, the first Islamic kingdom in Java. One of the prominent powerful dukes was Jaka Tingkir, son-in-law of the late sultan. After defeating the last opponent duke of Jipang-Panola, Jaka Tingkir aka. Sultan Hadiwijaya claimed the throne and moved the capital to the city of Pajang, located about 8 miles from the present-day Surakarta. His adopted son, Sutawijaya, formed a conspiracy and killed him with the favour of an assassin. Then, he ascended the throne and once again, moved the capital to Mataram in the present-day province of Jogjakarta, and a new dynasty was founded. It was such an irony to find out that Sutawijaya was the man of the battle which fought against the duke of Jipang-Panola and killed the duke, gained the victory for Pajang.
Pakubuwono II
Up until 1744, Solo was little more than a quiet backwater village, 10km east of Kartasura, the contemporary capital of the Mataram kingdom. But in that year the Mataram susuhunan (king), Pakubuwono II, backed the Chinese against the Dutch, and the court at Kartasura was sacked as a result. Pakubuwono II searched for a more auspicious spot to rebuild his capital, and in 1745 the entire court was dismantled and transported in a great procession to Surakarta, on the banks of the Kali (River) Solo. It was said that the place he chose to be the new palace was sited on a small lake. It was also said by the “babad” or official record of court historians that the lake was drained by the favor of the mythical queen of the southern sea, Nyi Roro Kidul.
However, the decline continued, and in 1757, after the kingdom of Mataram was divided into the Surakarta Sunanate (northern court) and the Jogjakarta Sultanate (southern court), another rival royal house of Mangkunegoro was established by Raden Mas Said aka. Pangeran Samber Nyowo (The Slayer Prince) right in the centre of Solo. It marked the success of Dutch policies in East Indies, which were known as “divide et impera” (divide and conquer). Mataram held so much influence in Java, yet it remained nothing more than falling under the Dutch’s hands. Thereafter, Solo’s royal houses wisely avoided fighting and instead threw their energies into the arts, developing a highly sophisticated and graceful court culture. The gamelan pavilions became the new theatres of war, with each city competing to produce the more refined court culture. Wayang Kulit and Wayang Wong are some theatrical arts still performed today.
Pakubuwono X
Perhaps the most significant ruler of the twentieth century, was Pakubuwono X. His relationship with the Dutch, and his large family, and his popularity contributed to perhaps the largest funeral procession that ever occurred in Solo. He had contributed large expenditure on the Royal Graveyard at Imogiri in the main sections of the graveyard, as well as towards the new section that he was buried in. In the era just prior to independence Surakarta had European, Chinese and Arab quarters.
Struggle for Independence
After hearing the proclamation of Indonesian Independence, both Mangkunegara VII and Pakubuwono IX declared Surakarta a part of Republic of Indonesia (RI). Because of this support, President Soekarno declared Surakarta as Daerah Istimewa Surakarta (DIS)/”Surakarta Special Region”.
In October 1945, an anti-”swapraja” (anti-feudalism/anti-monarchy) movement was established in Surakarta. One of the leaders of this movement was Tan Malaka, a member of the Indonesian Communist Party. This organization wanted to abolish all feudal kingdoms in Surakarta, the Surakarta special region (DIS), and replace all regents in Surakarta. The key debate was whether the end of Dutch rule should bring a total change in the government, or whether the ancient and historic institutions, giving the people a link to pre-colonial times, should be retained.
October 17, 1945, KRMH Sosrodiningrat, the vizier of Mangkunegara kingdom was kidnapped and murdered by communists. The new vizier, KRMT Yudonagoro and 9 other officials from Kepatihan were also kidnapped and murdered by the same movement in March 1946.
In 1946, the capital of Republic of Indonesia (RI) was moved to the nearby city of Yogyakarta.
On June 16, 1946, the DIS was abolished replaced with regency (kabupaten) of Surakarta. This event is commemorated as the birthday of the city of Surakarta. This only has administrative and not civic significance.
On June 26, 1946, Prime Minister of Indonesia Sutan Syahrir was kidnapped by a rebel movement led by Major General Soedarsono, the commander of 3rd division.
President Soekarno (more often called Sukarno) was angry at this kidnapping and on July 1, 1946, 14 civilian leaders of this movement, including Tan Malaka was arrested by Indonesian police.
On July 2, 1946, the rebel leaders were freed from Wirogunan prison by rebel troops, led by Maj. Gen. Soedarsono.
President Soekarno asked the local military commander in Surakarta, Lieutenant Colonel Soeharto (later becoming President Soeharto [oten spelled Suharto]) to arrest Major General Soedarsono and the rebel group. Lt. Col. Soeharto refused to follow this command unless it was given directly by the Military Chief of Staff, General Soedirman. President Soekarno was angry at this rejection of his authority to give direct commands to all levels of the military, and called Lt. Col. Soeharto a stubborn (”koppig”) officer.
Lt. Col. Soeharto pretended that he supported the rebellion and persuaded Maj. Gen. Soedarsono and his group to stay at his Head Quarters at Wiyoro, Surakarta for their own safety. Later that night he persuaded Maj. Gen. Soedarsono to meet President Soekarno at his palace on the next morning. Lt. Col. Soeharto secretly informed the presidential guard troops about Maj. Gen. Soedarsono plan on the next morning.
On July 3, 1946, Maj. Gen. Soedarsono and his group was arrested by the presidential guard troops near the palace. PM Syahrir was released unharmed. Several months later, Maj. Gen. Soedarsono and his group were pardoned and released from prison.
Later this rebellion was called the “failed July 3, 1946 coup”. This event is mentioned in President Soeharto’s autobiography published in 1988.
From 1945 to 1948, the Dutch re-occupied various regions in Java. The remaining area of Republic Indonesia were in Yogyakarta, Surakarta and surrounding areas.
In December 1948, the Dutch attacked and occupied the cities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta. The Indonesian army led by General Soedirman started a guerrilla war from surrounding areas. The Dutch said that RI was destroyed and no longer existed.
To disprove this claim, the Indonesian army conducted large scale raids into the cities of Jogyakarta and Surakarta called “Serangan Oemoem“. The Indonesian troops managed to beat the Dutch troops and occupy the city for several hours. The leader of the raid to Yogyakarta was Lt. Col. Soeharto. The leader of a similar raid on Surakarta on August 7, 1949 was Lt. Col. Slamet Riyadi.
To commemorate this event, the main street on the city of Surakarta is renamed as “Brigadier General Slamet Riyadi Street”.
Independence
By 1950 Surakarta had a population of 165,484 In 1950 Surakarta, or Solo, was a trade center for such agricultural products as rice, rubber, corn, indigo, cassava and sugar. It also had seen the development of some industries. These included tanning, textiles and machinery. Also batik making was a common activity.
1960s troubles
From October 1965 to 1966, there was a large scale chaos in Central Java, because of an abortive coup by a rebel group called “Dewan Revolusi” or G30S.
Recent Developments
In the early 1980s, Abubakar Basyir and Husein Al Habshi established Pesantren Ngruki, an Islamic school in Surakarta. Their views are considered by some to be extreme and hard line, a threat to the pluralistic and democratic nature of Indonesian society.
In 1984-1985, an extreme Muslim group with connections to the Ngruki school began plotting violent actions. They planned to attack foreign tourists in the nearby Borobudur temple and on the island of Bali. However the bomb at Borobudur exploded prematurely early in the morning, and no one was hurt. The bomb sent to Bali exploded prematurely on the “Pemudi” bus on the way from Surakarta to Bali.
In 1985, Basyir and Habshi were arrested by the police. They were sentenced to several years in prison. They appealed the sentence and during the appeal process, Basyir managed to escape to Malaysia and stayed there for 14 years. In Malaysia, Basyir and Sungkar established the “Jihad Islam” (JI) organization.
In May 1998, there was a large scale riot in Surakarta, because of oil price hikes. A mob ransacked and burned the office of the Surakarta mayor and other nearby government buildings. The destroyed buildings have since been rebuilt. Additionally, rioters targeted the homes and businesses of the local Indonesian-Chinese, leading to widespread destruction.
In 1999, Basyir returned to Indonesia and established an Islamist group called Majelis Mujahiddin Indonesia (MMI) in Surakarta. This group often conducts sweeps against foreign tourists from the USA, the UK, Denmark, and Italy in Surakarta.
From 2002 to 2005, terrorists related to the JI group were blamed for bomb attacks against foreign tourist in various areas in Indonesia. Some believe most JI terrorists are alumni of “Pesantren Ngruki” in Surakarta. However since most of these Islamist radicals are still at large it is hard to say what their full history.
Local dialect
Although people in Central Java use the same language named boso Jowo (Javanese), they have special characteristics which differentiate from which region they come. For example, for the word “cold” (dingin in Indonesian, especially for weather), people in Surakarta use the word adem, but people in Semarang use the word atis. The Javanese language of Surakarta and Yogyakarta is used as the standard for all Javanese speakers throughout the nation. However it should be born in mind that Indonisias official language is not Javanese, so this language is of less importance than its number of native speakers would suggest.
PEKALONGAN
Linggoasri Tourism of Pekalongan Regency:Natural tourism hill of Linggoasri District of Kajen, this tourism represent means for recreation, education, sport, and inwrought entertainment amusement in this area especially and Pekalongan Regency in generally.
Central Java style
Curug Cinde Tourisme District of Lebakbarang
Representative waterfall tourism with a beautiful natural view, this curug tourism Areal reside in Depok countryside District of Lebakbarang 19 Km while the distance from District to Depok countryside 5 Km and to curug location from Depok countryside 1 Km.
Waterfall
Watu Ireng Tourism District of Kandangserang
Representing tourism presenting natural condition that existence of big stone of black chromatic where the stone interior hollow with a beautiful of its natural view.
Maritime Tourism
Depok coast District of Siwalan, this tourism is coastal nature view area which reside in District of Siwalan, this tourism in its there are balmy coconut garden to relax to with family, location 4,45 Km north side Pait bridge District of Sragi.
Pilgrimage Tourism
Mausoleum Tourism pilgrimage of Siti Ambariyah in District of Bojong many people ask benediction on Wednesday Kliwon and Friday Kliwon and also in big mounts Thursday Pon.Candi ( TEMPLE)
This list is of all identified candi found within the immediate area of the main plateau.
* Candi Abiyasa
* Candi Arjuna
* Candi Bima
* Candi Darawati
* Candi Dvaravati
* Candi Gatotkaca
* Candi Pandu
* Candi Parikesit
* Candi Puntadewa
* Candi Magersari
* Candi Nakula
* Candi Sadewa
* Candi Sembadra
* Candi Senjaka
* Candi Semai
* Candi Srikandi
* Candi Wachthame
