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ABOUT BANDUNG
Written in the old styles as Bandoeng,
it is the 4th largest city in Indonesia and capital of the West Java
Province. Situated at the elevation of 750 m (2.350 feet) above sea level, the
city is almost completely surrounded by volcanoes, most of which remain active.
The area is a major industrial and trade center producing textiles, dyes,
chemicals, aircraft, machinery, and quinine. It is also an important center for
education and research with facilities such as the Institute of Technology
Bandung (1920), state University Padjajaran (1975), Parahyangan Catholic
University (1955), the famous Pasteur Institiute and other national research
institutes. Bandung is the cultural heart of the Sundanese people and is noted
for its angling bamboo orchestra and its traditions of classical Sundanese
theatre, dance, puppet theatre, and gamelan music.
Bandung’s cool upland climate was a
major force in the establishment of the city by the Dutch in 1810. Originally a
garrison town, Bandung grew rapidly in importance after a railway line reached
the city in 1884. The city served for a time as the proposed headquarters of the
colonial government of the Netherlands East Indies, and as the result, offers
many fine historic districts and historic monuments of excellent architectural
value. The city attracted worldwide fame as the venue of the historic
Asia-Africa Conference of 1955 bringing together 29 newly independent nations
which became the foundation for the non-aligned movement in the cold war period.
Attendees, who included Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt, Nehru and Daughter Indira
Gandhi, Ho Chi Minh, Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, Indonesia;s own
Soekarno, and many others, resolved to strengthen cultural and economic ties
between member nations and to unite in opposition to colonialism.
The Sundanese People
The people who inhabit the area around
Bandung and the mountains of West Java form the second largest ethnic group in
the country. The Sundanese are known for their charm, warmth and humor. They are
open-minded and open-handed people, and many still follow their ancient
traditions blended well with both Islam and modernity. However, as an urban
center Bandung is well integrated culturally with people from all over the
country as well as foreigners who have made Bandung their home.
Art & Culture
BANDUNG provides more htan 300 places to
wxplore the richest of West java ar and cultural performances. Saung angklung
mang Ujo, Rumentang Siang and the YPK provide diverse programs on a regular
basis. Bandung also known as a well-developed artist’ colony of major Indonesian
contemporary artists, workin in varied media such as painting, batik, sculpture,
and design. Galleries around the city offer special exhibitions throughout the
year.
How To Use Angkot
A pleasant and safe way to get around is
the “angkutan kota” or angkot. There are many routes covering almost the entire
city of Bandung. You may flag down an angkot anywhere along their route except
under no stopping zones. You signal your intention to get off by saying ‘kiri’
which means ‘left’ or ‘stops’. Rate are vary based on the distance traveled but
you can generally ask other passenger what an accepted payment is. Most routes
run 24 hours a day.
Cuisine
Even from its earliest time, Bandung has
been famous for the variety of its culinary offering as the ‘land of a thousand
foods’. Sundanese food especially offers a great variety of vegetables and
fruits, but local chefs enjoy developing new menus all the time. European foods
especially high quality pastries and snacks are available nearly everywhere.
Prices
Prices greatly variy between
restaurants. In warung, or street side shops, a whole meal may cost between Rp
10.000 and Rp 20.000 while mid sized cafes offer menus starting at Rp 20.000 and
some of the newer fancy restaurants have ranges between Rp 40.000 and Rp 150.000
for international entrees.
Variety of Food
Official listings for Bandung
Restaurants count over 500, not including street side warung and new restaurants
seemingly open everyday! The richness of variety makes Bandung rightly acclaimed
as a food heaven
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Many Bandung restaurants are
more enjoyable in the evening than the afternoon
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Some of the fancy restaurants
are renowned for their vistas and architecture as well as their menus
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Most waiters in fancy
restaurants speak English
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Restaurants are generally open
till midnight and serve food until 23.00
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There is no rule about tipping
though leave 5-10% if you enjoyed especially good services
Shopping
Famous as a shopping heaven, there are
many types of shopping experiences awaiting visitors in Bandung. Be sure to
check out opportunities at the traditional markets, before exploring the many
malls and factory outlet stores (FO’S) that line several districts in the city,
including Jalan Cihampelas. Cibaduyut is the village for shoes and leather
products, and Jalan Braga for art, books and antiques.
Entertainment
“van reup to bray” or ‘from dusk to
dawn’ is the former Dutch saying to describe the thousands of entertainments
available in Bandung. There are more than 247 registered entertainment venues
offering dancing, modern disco, karaoke billiards, bowling, computer games and
other fun activities.
HISTORY OF BANDUNG
The city history dates from 1488 when the first reference to Bandung
exists. But from ancient archeological finds, we know the city was home to
Australopithecus, Java Man. These people lived on the banks of the
Cikapundung in north Bandung, and on the shores of the Great Lake of
Bandung. Flint artifacts can still be found in the Upper Dago area
and the Geological Museum has displays and fragments of skeletal remains and
artifacts.
The Sundanese were a pastoral people farming the fertile regions of
Bandung. They developed a lively oral tradition which includes the still
practiced Wayang Golek puppet theatre, and many musical forms. "There
is a city called Bandung, comprising 25 to 30 houses," wrote Juliaen de
Silva in 1614.
The achievements of European adventurers to try their luck in the fertile and
prosperous Bandung area, led eventually to 1786 when a road was built
connecting Jakarta, Bogor, Cianjur and Bandung. This flow was increased when in
1809 Louis Napoleon, the ruler of the Netherlands, ordered Governor
General H.W. Daendels, to increase defences in Java against English. The
vision was a chain of military defense units and a supply road between Batavia
and Cirebon. But this coastal area was marsh and swamp, and it was easier to
construct the road further south, across the Priangan highlands.
The Grote Postweg (Great Post Road) was built 11 miles north of the then
capital of Bandung. With his usual terseness, Daendels ordered the capital to be
relocated to the road. Bupati Wiranatakusumah II chose a site south of
the road on the western bank of the Cikapundung, near a pair of holy
wells, Sumur Bandung, supposedly protected by the ancient goddess Nyi
Kentring Manik. On this site he built his dalem (palace) and the
alun-alun (city square). Following traditional orientations, Mesjid Agung
(The Grand Mosque) was placed on the western side, and the public market on the
east. His residence and Pendopo (meeting place) was on the south facing
the mystical mountain of Tangkuban Perahu. Thus was The Flower City
born.
Grote postweg
Around the middle of the l9th Century, South American cinchona (quinine),
Assam tea, and coffee was introduced to the highlands. By the end
of the century Priangan was registered as the most prosperous plantation area of
the province. In 1880 the rail line connecting Jakarta and Bandung was
completed, and promised a 2 1/2 hour trip from the blistering capital in Jakarta
to Bandung.
With this life changed in Bandung, hotels, cafes, shops sprouted up to serve the
planters who either came down from their highland plantations or up from the
capital to frolic in Bandung. The Concordia Society was formed and with
its large ballroom was the social magnet for weekend activities in the city. The
Preanger Hotel and the Savoy Homann were the hotels of choice. The
Braga became the promenade, lined with exclusive Europeans shops.
Braga weg
With the railroad, light industry flourished. Once raw plantation crops
were sent directly to Jakarta for shipment to Europe, now primary processing
could be done efficiently in Bandung. The Chinese who had never lived in
Bandung in any number came to help run the facilities and vendor machines and
services to the new industries. Chinatown dates from this period.
In the first years of the present century, Pax Neerlandica was
proclaimed, resulting in the passing of military government to a civilian one.
With this came the policy of decentralization to lighten the administrative
burden of the central government. And so Bandung became a municipality in
1906.
This turn of events left a great impact on the city. City Hall was built
at the north end of Braga to accommodate the new government, separate from the
original native system. This was soon followed by a larger scale development
when the military headquarters was moved from Batavia to Bandung around 1920.
The chosen site was east of City Hall, and consisted of a residence for the
Commander in Chief, offices, barracks and military housing.
By the early 20's the need for skilled professionals drove the establishment of
the technical high school that was sponsored by the citizens of Bandung. At the
same time the plan to move the capital of the Netherlands Indies from
Batavia to Bandung was already mature, the city was to be extended to the north.
The capital district was placed in the northeast, an area that had formerly been
rice fields, and a grand avenue was planned to run for about 2.5 kilometers
facing the fabled Tangkuban Perahu volcano with Gedung Sate at the
south end, and a colossal monument at the other. on both sides of this grand
boulevard buildings would house the various offices of the massive colonial
government.
Along the east bank of the Cikapundung River amidst natural scenery was
the campus of the Technische Hoogeschool, dormitories and staff housing.
The old campus buildings and its original landscaping reflect the genius of its
architect Henri Maclain Pont. The southwestern section was reserved for
the municipal hospital and the Pasteur Institute, in the neighborhood of the old
quinine factory. These developments were carefully planned down to the
architectural and maintenance details. These years shortly before World War II
were the golden ones in Bandung and those alluded to today as Bandung Tempoe
Doeloe.
The war years did little to change the city of Bandung, but in 1946,
facing the return of the Colonial Dutch to Indonesia, citizens chose to burn
down their beloved Bandung in what has become known as Bandung Lautan Api,
Bandung Ocean of Fire. Citizens fled to the southern hills and overlooking the
"ocean of flames" penned "Halo Halo Bandung," the anthem promising their
return. Political unrest colored the early years of Independence and
consequently people flocked to Bandung where safety was. The population
skyrocketed from 230,000 in 1940 to 1 million by 1961. Economic prosperity
following the oil boom in the 70's pushed this further so that by 1990 there
were 2 million inhabitants.
Present day Bandung is thriving. As home to more than 35 schools of higher
education, there is a vibrant collegiate atmosphere. The excellent fine arts
offerings have produced an artist colony of great repute and excitement. The
textile industry is the largest in the country and contributes to a vigorous
business climate.
In 1987 the city extended its administrative boundaries toward a Greater Bandung
Plan (Bandung Raya) Plans for the city include higher concentrations of
development outside the current city centre, in an attempt to dilute some of the
population density in the old core. These days Bandung Raya is still
years ahead, yet the land has suffered deeply. Commercial activities run amok,
God only knows who can take control. The city core is practically uprooted, old
faces are torn down, lot sizes regrouped, and what was idyllic residence is now
bustling chain supermarkets and rich banks.
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