About
60 kilometers (38 miles) at the foot of the highlands south of Jakarta is the
peaceful town of Bogor. From 1870 up to the outbreak of World War II and the
collapse of the Netherlands colonial empire, the Bogor Palace served as the
official residence of the Dutch governors general. The former, governor general
function of state and as a venue for international meeting is now as Indonesian
Presidential Palace. The porticoes mansion with it’s stately pillars looks
quite at home amidst the vast well groomed lawns where deer graze in the shade
of big old trees.
The palace and the
world famous Botanical Gardens which lie behind it are Bogor’s greatest
pride. Officially opened in 1817 by
Prof. Reindwardt, a Dutch Botanist, and as Lieutenant Governor during the
British interregnum from 1811 no. 1816, took up residence in the Bogor mansion.
A small cenotaph dedicated to the memory of Raffles wife stands near the
entrance in the sunduppled shade of tall cranium trees.Bogor is also known for
it’s biological research facilities. The hills beyond Bogor abound with cool
mountain resort. One of which has a Safari Garden with the wild roaming free within a vast fenced in
space.
The Epigraph
This is the
footprint of King Purnawarman of Taruma Negara Kingdom, the greatest in the
world. Such is a sentence written on a stone in Pallawa letter at Ciampea,
Bogor Regency. The Pallawa letter itself was originally came from South India,
and it’s language was Sanskrit. This inscribed Stone was originally in the
times of King Purnawarman who ruled the Taruma Negara Kingdom about the year of
450 AD. A pair of footprint decorated this stone which is said it was the
footprint of King himself. For those who interested in history or archaeology
it is good for not to miss this inscribed stone.
The Bogor Palace
The Bogor Palace
indeed stores much history. The Bogor Palace was residence of the Dutch
Governor General during the colonial period. The former building with 19th
century architectural style. It’s wide yard inhabited by deer’s in tens
which are indeed breaded here. At the
time of “Cold War” was in it’s peak at the beginning of six ties which can
explode land caused World War III, the world war leaders. Who involved in the
“War”, they once spend the night in this palace as the state’s guests of the
Republic of Indonesia. This thing of can’t be separated from Indonesia’s
political attitude at that time who chose “Non
Block Policy”, even on the contrary, Indonesia took part actively to calm
the critical situation.
Please observed
attentively the guests who once spend the night in this palace : President
Yoseph Broz Tito from Yugoslavia, Prince Benhard and Queen Juliana from
Netherlands, President J.F. Kennedy from USA, Prime Minister Nikita Kruschev
from Soviet Union, Prince Akihito from Japan, Ho Chi Minh from Vietnam, Prince
Norodon Sihanouk from Cambodia, Mrs. Jeihan Sadat from Egypt and many more.In
1954, this palace was held a conference of fives countries namely : Indonesia,
India, Pakistan, Burma and Sri Lanka as a preparatory work for Asia Africa
Conference in Bandung.
Also The Bogor
Palace was used as the venue for the 1995 APEC conference. Took place to
commemorating era of Asia Pacific of Free Trade which attended by foremost
countries of Asia Pacific such as Japan, China, Korea, USA, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and also other countries by
tens : The decision of which have a lot influence in the world especially in economic
field. The APEC conference were represented by head of states or head of
government, from Indonesia is President Soeharto at present time (Now Former
President of Republic of Indonesia).Dating past : Kampung Baru Area, surrounded
by greenery’s of tropical trees with a clean stream’s flow of river, 60
kilometers from Batavia (Today Jakarta), General Governor Baron Gustaf Van
Inhof agreed with the proposal and ordered to build a rest-house and named it
Buitenzorg which means free of care. It is sand that Bogor derived from the
word Buitenzorg. Built in Balenheim Palace style residence of Duke of
Marlborough in Oxford, England. Even once the building experienced a heavy
damage caused by a rebellion headed by Kyai Tapa in 1750 – 1752. The building
was just finished in the time of Herman Willem Daendles government in 1808 –
1811. Even in the time of Dutch Indies was ruled by British Kingdom and put
Thomas Stamford Raffles as governor general, the building was restored on a
large scale. The English ruler restored mid part of the building and made a
wide garden in the surrounding palace arranged in such a way initiated English
noblemen’s garden.
A heavy earthquake
struck the building in 1834 and it was nearly even with land. The Dutch
colonialist who had ruled again Dutch Indies decided to rebuilt this palace
totally new one. It was Baron Van Der Capellen governor general at the time,
who built the palace with 19th century European style and it was
finished in 1850. This building which stand erect strongly up to now.The Bogor
Palace that stand erect on a 24 hectares width of land is situated at the mid
of Bogor Botanical Garden and full of leaf big trees. Hundred of deer’s which
are breaded and roaming here and let them play all around the palace yard,
there are 200 qualified paintings as the product of Indonesia’s well known
painters.
Beside the palace
also full of sculptures and ceramics. Those paintings and sculptures were
collected by the late Soekarno, first president of the Republic of Indonesia.
Bogor Palace is one of the presidential palaces so that on who intend to enter
the palace. One should have gotten permission from the head of presidential
household in Bogor or State Secretariat in Jakarta. So, do you want to try to
be the best Tour Adventure and research to Bogor ?
Bogor’s
Botanical Gardens
Bogor is Well known
Botanical Gardens is a “Museum” of thousand of Flora’s species, lies 60 km
south of Jakarta established in 1817, situated just behind the 19th
century presidential palace, with over 20,000 species of plants. This is the largest collection of
tropical plants in the world. And also collecting plants from the whole world.
The width of the area is 111 hectares. At the beginning, the Bogor Botanical
Garden was the part of the palace’s yards. J.E. Teysmann who headed this
botanical garden from 1926 until 1929, he separated the botanical garden from
the palace with a divider fence. Then, DR. RHCC Scheffer who replaced Teysmann,
expanded this garden and equipped it with cultivation of seedlings.
J.E. Teysmann is
not really a scholar. He only managed
the Governor General Van Den Bosch’s garden. He had rendered this botanical
garden openly. He served his life to research world of tropical plants.
Teysmann with his colleague DR. JH. Haskari, replanted all the plants
collection and grouped them as they existed in their natural environment.
Teysmann had laid a scientific basic for Bogor Botanical Garden. He also wrote
his research’s products and published it in “Natural Tijd Schrift” magazine, in
the Netherlands. His writings are very influential in promoting botany and make
his name and Bogor Botanical Garden well
known internationally to the botanists before World War II.
The first
Indonesian who headed this Bogor Botanical Garden was Prof. Ir. Kusnoto and
then was Sujana Kasan. Their names were immortalized in it’s Bogor Botanical
Garden : “Gudeg Kusnoto” or Kusnoto House for center for National Institute of
Biology and “Taman Sujana” or Sujana Park is name for Garden. Currently, Bogor
Botanical Garden is under the management of National Institute of Biology, and
is a world famous center for scientific research and frequently visited by
internal botanists. It is in this Bogor Botanical Garden found original rubber
tree from Brazil namely “Havea Brazilliensis” which has developed in
Indonesia’s plantations. This garden houses more than 20.000 species of
tropical plants and trees, orchid nurseries and zoological museum. Those plants
were not included yet the orchid and cactus which are placed in glass houses.
The botanical garden is well arranged and very beautiful. The paths are made in
such away that they connected to the whole area of the botanical garden. It
makes the visitors and researchers easier to see the plants available in
botanical garden. And the ponds which are decorated with lotus blooms beauty
the botanical garden.
One of the well
known plants in the botanical garden is Amorphophalus Titanum Buccari. The
giant flower with 54 centimeters middle line and 2,5 meters of height came from
the jungle of Sumatera. Found by an Italian name “Buccari”. It is also called
Rafflesia because this English man, Mr. Raffles, who ever be a governor general
of Malaya wrote on his journey book.The high altitude branch of the gardens is
located in the mountains at Cibodas. Farther up to the south, approximately
another 10 km from Bogor, through the Puncak.
The Wild Animals Safari Park
Taman
Safari-The Wild Animals Park located in
hills above Cisarua Bogor, view exotic Indonesian and other imported, has an
amazing variety of 40 species of wild animals from five continents about 400
animals in all roam in the park free. Driving through zoo where the animals
roaming nearby our car is an exciting experiences. Just a few kilometers from
Jagorawi (Jakarta-Bogor-Ciawi) tollgate we shall have been in the location of
Safari Park, the only zoo in Indonesia whose animals are freely placed in
natural habitat.Here we could see a flower garden where we could find bedding
plant flowers from Australia, North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
The landscaped park also has a children’s petting zoo, regular animal shows,
theme rides and swimming pools.
To
enjoy Safari Park you have to use a closed window car. Various kinds of animals
from Indonesia as well as abroad are found here such as rare Tiger, Crocodile,
Lion, Panda, Hippopotamus, etc. When you don’t take your car, you can use the
Safari Park’s Bus by paying the ticket. The Safari Park area is wide enough to
reflect the tropical jungle atmosphere. As family recreation place it seems you
have to visit this Safari Park. As an environmental enthusiast and The Best
Tour Adventure in the world, it is sorry to miss it. This is like the real
jungle.
The Puncak Tea Plantations
The Puncak Tea
Plantations located in Puncak Pass Mountain (Bogor-Cianjur). Puncak is the
beautiful highlands area. The tea plantations in the mountain pass area of
Puncak populer week-end escape. With fresh air and brisk walks through emerald
green fields of tea shrubs. On the way to Bandung from Jakarta you will pass
this area. The tortuous road with the interspersed between tea plantations at
it’s left and right sides is a most impressive view. This Puncak area belong to
two regions, Bogor and Cianjur regions. Puncak is best known as resort and
recreation area. Spectacular scenery with views across the valleys and lush green tea plantations,
hiking, horse riding, paragliding and the cool misty weather make this a popular
destination for city-dwellers who call it the “Playground of Jakarta”. We could
rent sport equipments in this area, like for Hang Glider or “Gantole” sports.
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