The twin towers of this monument with a dodgy provenance soar over grassy Lapangan Banteng and are topped by a sculpture of a man breaking his chains. It dates to the Sukarno era and was designed as anti-Imperialist propaganda, even as Indonesia took over Irian Jaya (Timor and Papua) despite local protests in 1963. These days some call it the 'Freedom Monument'.
Monumen Irian Jaya Pembebasan
Merdeka Square & Central Jakarta
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.97 MILES
The National Museum is the best of its kind in Indonesia and an essential visit. The enormous collection begins around an open courtyard of the 1862…
0.89 MILES
It is here that Jakartans come to take a breather from the traffic. The figurative centre of Jakarta, Merdeka Square (merdeka means independence) is…
2.87 MILES
Kota’s central cobblestone square, surrounded by imposing Dutch colonial buildings, is Jakarta's most attractive location and a popular gathering spot for…
9.93 MILES
Families will love Jakarta's kite museum, located in a quiet backstreet in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta. Inside a traditional Indonesian house, complete…
0.59 MILES
Over 1700 works of art by foreign and Indonesian artists are part of the National Gallery collection. While only a few works are on display at any time,…
2.74 MILES
This museum presents an engaging and easily consumed history of Indonesia from a loosely financial perspective, in a grand, expertly restored,…
4.81 MILES
Opened in late 2017, Museum Macan is Indonesia's first modern and contemporary art museum and an exciting cultural development for the city. It was built…
2.34 MILES
This large Chinese Buddhist temple compound dates from 1755 and is one of the most atmospheric and important in the city. The main structure has an…
Nearby Merdeka Square & Central Jakarta attractions
0.07 MILES
Just east of Merdeka Square, Lapangan Banteng is surrounded by some of Jakarta’s best colonial architecture. It was first designed by the Dutch in the…
0.15 MILES
This Roman Catholic cathedral is an impressive height, with lacy twin spires made from wrought iron, each 60m tall. It was built in 1901 to replace an…
3. Ministry of Finance Building
0.21 MILES
Next door to the 1848 columned old Supreme Court is the Ministry of Finance Building, formerly the Witte Huis (White House). This grand complex was built…
0.21 MILES
Part of the Ministry of Finance complex, this grand columned edifice with a deep portico was the colonial-era palace of the Dutch governor-general Hermann…
0.27 MILES
Gedung Pancasila is an imposing neoclassical building built in 1830 as the Dutch army commander’s residence. It later became the meeting hall of the…
0.31 MILES
The striking, modernist Masjid Istiqlal is adorned by patterned geometric grates on the windows. Completed in 1978, it's the largest mosque in Southeast…
0.48 MILES
This classic church dates from 1834. The interior is smaller than you'd think but it has an evocative round dome and an organ from 1843. Ask to see the…
0.59 MILES
Over 1700 works of art by foreign and Indonesian artists are part of the National Gallery collection. While only a few works are on display at any time,…