Bukittinggi is a city with the distance about 90 km from the
capital city of West Sumatra, Padang. Located in Bukit Barisan Mountains which
stretches along the island of Sumatra, and between the two volcanoes, Mount
Singgalang and Mount Marapi. With a height of 909-941 meters above sea level,
Bukittinggi has a fairly cool weather that ranged between 16.1°-24.9°C. The city has an area of 25.24 km2 with a topography of hills and
valleys spread in urban areas. There is a famous valley in Bukittinggi, Ngarai
Sianok (Sianok Canyon), with depths varying between 75-110 m and at the bottom
of the canyon flows a river called Batang Sianok.
Previously, Bukittinggi was a market for people of Agam Tuo.
In 1825, the Dutch built a fort on a hills in this area and became their
stronghold against The Padri. This place was known as Fort de Kock and that's
it, during Dutch colonial period, Bukittinggi known as Fort de Kock. And in
this period, Bukittinggi, along with the city of Medan, got the nickname as Parijs
van Soematra.
During the Japanese occupation, it was renamed as
Bukittinggi Si Yaku Sho and became the headquarters of Japanese 25th Army
Kempeitai, under the command of Major General Hirano Toyoji.
At the beginning of the independence of Indonesia (December
22, 1948 - July 13, 1949), Bukittinggi
was once the capital of Indonesia during the Pemerintahan Darurat
Republik Indonesia (Emergency Government of Republic of Indonesia) led by
Syafruddin Prawiranegara. Further, Bukittinggi was once the capital city of
Province of Sumatera and then, Province of Central Sumatra.
Buktittinggi is famous because it has interesting
attractions, especially the natural and historical attractions. Here are some
interesting attractions and worth a visit while you are in city of Bukittinggi.
Jam Gadang (Big Clock)
Jam Gadang is the most famous attractions and also the icons
of Bukittinggi. It is a Clock Tower
which is located in downtown of Bukittinggi. Jam Gadang is a tower which houses
a turret clock and has one large size clock faces in each of the four sides.
Jam Gadang has a ground-plan area of 13m x 4m with a height of 26 meters and in
each of the four sides, there is a large clock with diameter 80 cm.
Jam Gadang was a gift from the Dutch queen, Wilhelmina, to
Rook Maker, the controleur of Fort de Kock. Built in 1926 with cornerstone
placed by Rook Maker's first son who was 6 years old. The Architects was Rajo
Mangkuto Yazid.
The clock was imported directly from Rotterdam, Netherlands
to ports of Teluk Bayur (Gulf of Bayur). It was manufactured by Vortmann
Relinghausen at 1892. There are only 2 units of this type of clock, one is Big
Ben in London and the other is Jam Gadang.
The cost of construction is about 3,000 Gulden, a fantastic
amount in that days. Aside from being Bukittinggi icon, the Jam Gadang is also
the point 0 km of Bukittinggi.
A unique fact is number 4 on Jam Gadang does not use the
usual Roman numeral IV but IIII.
Fort de Kock
Fort de Kock is the Dutch fort which stands on Bukit Jirek
(Jirek Hill), in the city of Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia. Founded by
Captain Bouer in 1825 as a stronghold of the Dutch Army in the face of
onslaught of Minangkabau people, led by Tuanku Imam Bonjol, during the Padri
War in 1821-1837. Initially the fort was named Sterrenschans and later changed
to Fort de Kock because it was built during the reign of Baron Hendrik Merkus
de Kock as Der Troepen Commander and Deputy Governor-General of
Nederlads-Inide. Running time, around the castle grew a town that is now known
as Bukittinggi.
During Dutch colonization, Fort de Kock served as the center
of Dutch colonial rule and defenses in Sumatra. Then, the government began to
develop the occupation by mastering the other hills in the surrounding area,
which later became Bukittinggi today. Dutch government developed the city by
building government offices, government employee housing, markets,
transportation facilities, schools, recreation and cemetery complex.
With its completeness, coolness and beauty, it is no wonder
that Bukittinggi became one of the favorite resting place for government
officials and military officers of the Dutch Colonial.
Currently, Fort de Kock just left a green-white-painted
buildings as high as 20 m which is equipped with a small cannon at the four
corners, as a reminder that once stood Fort de Kock in that place. In 2002, the
government changed the area into Bukittinggi City Park and Tropical Bird Park,
where there are lots of shade trees and the children can play there.
Location of Fort de Kock is also not far from the
Bukittinggi Zoo and Museum Rumah Adat Baanjuang (Museum of Traditional House of
Baanjuang), even still in the same tourist attractions area where, the fort is
located on left of the entrance, while the zoo and museum are the right side.
Both of them are connected by Limpapeh Bridge,crossing over the highway in the
town of Bukittinggi. From the bridge you can enjoy views of the mountains and
canyons that surround the area, such as Sianok Canyon, Mount Merapi, Mount
Singgalang, Mount Sago and Mount Tandikek. This area is just 1 km from Jam
Gadang, downtown Bukittinggi.
Lubang Jepang (Japanese Tunnel/Cave)
Lubang Jepang is one of the historical attractions in the
city of Bukittinggi. This tunnel is actually a bunker. Built in 1942 for the
defense of Japanese army in World War II
and the Greater East Asia War (Dai Senso Tora), by the order of 25th Japanese
Army Commander, General Watanabe, who was also the Commander of Japanese Army
Military Government in Sumatra, which was based in Bukittinggi. 
This tunnel has about 1400 m long, 2 m wide and 2 m high,
and was made at a depth of 40-50 m, below hard rocky ground. It was built as a
storage of war supplies and equipment for Japanese soldiers. In the tunnel,
there is some space, which used for bedroom, surveillance, protection,
treatment rooms, kitchens, prisons and storage of armories and ammunition. The
tunnel was also equipped with a number of traps.
The tunnel was built by slavery (romusha), which was
imported from other regions, such as Java, Sulawesi and Kalimantan. It meant to
maintain the confidentiality of this project. And slaves from Bukittinggi and
Sumatera were sent to other areas, such as Bandung, Biak, Morotai even to
Myanmar, to build the Japanese army defense facilities .
Because built in wartime, the project was forced to finish
in a very short time, so that the bunker could be quickly used. The slaves were
forced to work beyond the limit, without enough consumption and rest. Many of
them were killed.
In 1984, Japanese
Tunnel were made as history attraction and become part of the Panorama Park.
There are several entrances to this tunnel, as it is located in the Ngarai
Sianok, Panorama Park, beside the Palace of Bung Hatta and Bukittinggi Zoo.
Fort de Kock were one of the two Dutch fort in West Sumatra.
Another fort, Fort Van der Capellen, located in Batusanggkar. Both of the forts
were developed becuase these two area were the most difficult to conquer,
during Padri War
Museum Rumah Adat Baanjuang (Museum Traditional House
Baanjuang)
Museum Rumah Adat Baanjuang is located at Jalan Cindur Mato,
Bukittinggi. Founded by a Dutch Countrolleur, Mr. Mondelar, on July 1, 1935.
Previously, the museum was named Museum Bundo Kanduang and
then in 2005 renamed the Museum Rumah Adat Baanjuang. This Museum shaped a
traditional Minangkabau house, Rumah Gadang (Big House), with roof forms of
Gajah Maharam and pavilion in the left and right, in accordance with the
harmony of Koto Piliang. A pair of
statues wearing Minang traditional clothes, decorate the entrance of the
museum. Almost the entire museum building still uses traditional materials,
such as palm fiber roofs, bamboo and wooden walls with beautiful carvings and
wood floors. Although simple, this museum looks very graceful and elegant.
The house is also equipped with a large sieve Rangkiang Rice
(Granary) and Rumah Tabuah (Drum House).
Construction of the museum with an area of 2,798 m2, aims
to collect and preserve historical and cultural objects of Minang Tribes.
The collection of TMuseum Rumah Adat Baanjuang is included
in the category of ethnographic, such as household appliances and traditional
transportation, traditional fabrics of Minangkabau, a wide variety of headgear,
Numismatic such as currency that ever used in Minang, stuffed animals, and so
on. Interestingly, this museum also keeps a collection of animal offset with a
rare physical condition, such as a buffalo with two heads and eight legs, goats
with two faces and others else.
There is also a miniature collection of the longhouse,
mosque, eating house, which is now rarely found in Minang Land.
Ngarai Sianok (Sianok Canyon)
Sianok canyon is a steep valley which became one of the
icons of tourism in Bukittinggi. This valley extends up to 15 kilometers, with
a width of up to 200 meters and a depth of up to 100 meters. In the bottom of
the valley flowed a river, Batang Sianok (Clear River), with a view of Mount
Merapi and Mount Singgalang in the distance. In the Dutch colonial era, the
valley was known as karbouwengat or kerbau sanget (lot of buffalo), because lot
of wild buffalo were living freely at the bottom of this canyon.
Sianok canyon is a borderline of the city of Bukittinggi. It is located in the district IV
Koto, Agam regency, West Sumatra. This valley windings and extends from the
southern of Ngarai Koto Gadang to Ngarai Sianok Anam Suku and end up in the
district Palupuh. Ngarai Sianok is part of Semangko Fault, which is a shear
fracture on the island of Sumatra that extends from north to south of Sumatera,
starting from Aceh to Semangka Bay, Lampung. This fault forming steep cliffs
and deep valleys, resulting from the earth's crust down movement (sinklinal).
Batang Sianok, the river that flows in the bottom of the
valley, now can be forded by using canoes and kayaks which are provided by a
water sports organization. The rute starts from Nagari Lambah to Sitingkai Nagari
Palupuh which can be reached in approximately 3.5 hours. On the riversides
still can be found many
If you enjoyed the view of Ngarai Sianok from Panorama Park,
then you will find a very beautiful view of the valley. From Panorama Park, you
can enjoy the view of sunrise and sunset in Ngarai Sianok. The stunning scenery
to be immortalized by the photographer and painter of nature.
Tabiang Takuruang
In the right corner of Ngarai Sianok, and unfortunately can
not be seen from Panorama Park, there is a beautiful natural phenomenon.
Tabiang Takuruang, a small hill that stands alone in a lush valley Sianok
Canyon with views of Mount Singgalang in the background. When a large
earthquake in 2007, the peak of the hill collapsed and now leaves the cliff
tops tight with a tree on it.
To find the beauty of Tabiang Takuruang, visitors will have
down the road to Kampung Jambak about 4 km from Panorama Park. You can also use
a car to reach Nagari Lambah.
However, many traveller prefer to have a walk to
the Tabiang Takuruang from Nagari Lambah which is only about 300 meters. And
along the way, they enjoy the natural beauty and various culinary that can be
found along the way.
If you are a painter or photographer, please do not forget
to bring your "combat gear", to capture the beauty of Tabiang
Takuruang.
Air Terjun Lembah Anai
If we hold a journey from Padang to Bukittinggi, then we
will find a beautiful waterfall near the road, Air Terjun Lembah Anai (Anai
Valley Waterfall). It is a part of Anai Valley Nature Reserve, one of the dense
tropical rain forest with diverse species of flora and fauna, which are
protected by the state.
The nature reserve which covers an area of 221 hectares,
is a part of Tanah Datar and Padang Pariaman District. It determined to be a
nature reserve since the Dutch colonial administration in 1922 and still
continues to this day.
Despite nearly a century, this nature reserve is not much
known, but not so with the waterfall, which known as Anai Valley Waterfall and
even it becomes one of the icons of West Sumatera tourism.
Actually, there are two other waterfalls and a small lake
with blue water, which are in the forest. These attractions can be reached on
foot in about 15 minutes from Air Terjun Lembah Anai.
From the side of the road, we could see Batang Anai (River
Anai) in the bottom of the valley. Batang Anai has headwaters in the foot of
Mount Singgalang, on the north side.
In the midst of lush trees and winding road, we will see the
railway bridge over 50 meters, which stretches in height above Batang Anai.
Railway was built by the Dutch colonial government and was completed in 1881,
connecting Emma Haven (now Port Teluk Bayur) in Padang to Sawahlunto over 155.5
km. This rail pass Anai Valley, Padang Panjang, Lake Singkarak and ended
in Sawahlunto.
Railway line, which crosses the Anai Valley, about 33.8 km,
used rack railway system. Rack railway system is a steep grade railway with a
toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. This system required for
crossing a sharp uphill area, such as Anai Valley.
For your information, the road along Batang Anai and rail
lines built on the orders of Governor-General of the Dutch Johannes Graaf van
den Bosch, who ruled in 1830-1834.
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Those are some tourist attractions in Bukittinggi. There are
many more attractions around city of Bukittinggi, such as Lake Maninjau and
Lake Singkarak, two beautiful lake that not far away from Bukittinggi. We will
continue our journey in Bukittinggi later. See you..
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