Medan's heritage falls by the wayside<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Medan<\/p>\n
The third most populous city in the country, Medan is changing
\nfast, with much state-of-the-art construction planned.<\/p>\n
But it seems that in putting its new, modern face forward, the
\nNorth Sumatra capital is turning its back on its preindependence
\nlegacy of old buildings.<\/p>\n
Although not as famous as Bandung or Semarang for its colonial
\narchitecture, the city once boasted 600 buildings constructed
\nfrom 1860, at the start of North Sumatra's heyday as a center of
\ntobacco and rubber production, to 1960.<\/p>\n
Now, according to the Sumatra Heritage Trust, the precious
\nlegacy has dwindled to only 300.<\/p>\n
Still, the ones that remain, including the head offices of the
\nDutch and English plantation companies that once operated in the
\narea, make for a pleasant tour, despite the city's notorious
\ntraffic jams and air pollution.<\/p>\n
Travelers can start their tour at the Great Mosque, built in
\n1906. The mosque has undergone several renovations, but many of
\nits original materials are still intact, such as the tiles and
\ncolorful stained-glass windows (although some of the latter have
\nholes in them from errant footballs of neighborhood kids).<\/p>\n
Near the mosque on Jl. Brigjen Katamso stands the Maimoon
\nPalace, where Deli sultans once lived.<\/p>\n
Today, about 20 families, descendants of the current sultan,
\nlive in rooms at the back of the main part of the palace.
\nVisitors who climb upstairs to the porch of the palace will
\nlikely run into some of family members chatting with each other.<\/p>\n
"This is the throne of the Deli sultan, used when the extended
\nfamily gathers to hold annual ceremonies," a tour guide said,
\nshowing a set of yellow pillows and a couch of gold thread.<\/p>\n
"The sultan now lives in Sulawesi."<\/p>\n
The palace, built in 1888, has some remarkable original
\narchitecture and decorations, but it is in a deteriorating
\ncondition. Graffiti also mars some of the structure.<\/p>\n
Only 10 minutes away by motorbike or the motorized pedicabs of
\nthe city are rows of historical buildings along Jl. Ahmad Yani.
\nThe street, formerly known as Kesawan, was the place to live
\nduring the colonial era, when Medan's population was less than
\n20,000 in the 1900s.<\/p>\n
Today, with the advance of urban sprawl, it is packed with
\nsouvenir shops, music equipment stores and sports shops.<\/p>\n
Since February last year, the street has been closed at night
\nto make room for food stalls for the city's foodies. The nightly
\nfood bazaar, Kesawan Square, can accommodate up to 2,000 diners.<\/p>\n
The organizer of Kesawan Square, PT Star Indonesia, opted for
\nJl. Ahmad Yani because the street's historical buildings provide
\na nostalgic atmosphere for diners.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, due to the unpredictable weather, the organizer
\nhas been forced to erect large tents, thus obstructing the view
\nof the buildings.<\/p>\n
One of those escaping the visual obstruction is a mansion
\nbuilt in 1900. It once belonged to Tjong A Fie, an elder in
\nMedan's Chinese community. The owner of about 20 plantations in
\nNorth Sumatra, he could be considered one of the country's first
\nethnic Chinese magnates.<\/p>\n
His descendants continue to live in the house, and visitors
\ncan knock on the door and request a tour.<\/p>\n
For those in need of a pick-me-up after all the sight-seeing,
\nRestaurant Tip Top, which offers original recipes of Chinese,
\nIndonesian and Dutch meals, is across the street.<\/p>\n
"The most popular choices here are our steaks, nasi goreng
\n(fried rice) as well as our various choices of cakes, especially
\nthe mocha cakes and the mocha ice cream," said the latest owner
\nof the restaurant, Freddy Kelana.<\/p>\n
The restaurant and its bakery, having stood on Jl. Ahmad Yani
\nsince 1934, still cook the old-fashioned way in keeping with the
\ntastes of longtime customers.<\/p>\n
"We make our own mocha by frying coffee beans, we don't use
\nchemicals here. We bake the cakes with wood-fired brick ovens,"
\nFreddy said.<\/p>\n
A stroll up the street toward Merdeka Square, formerly known
\nas Esplanades, leads to the building of PP London Sumatra, once
\nowned by British Plantation Company and known as the Juliana
\nBuilding.<\/p>\n
A short walk straight in the direction of the City Hall, which
\nis being revamped, leads travelers to Dharma Deli Hotel, built in
\n1898. It was the city's leading Hotel De Boer in the 1930s,
\naccording to the book Tour through historical Medan and its
\nsurroundings, penned by Dirk A. Buiskool, a Dutch historian based
\nin Medan.<\/p>\n
The hotel's employees are happy to take interested visitors on
\na tour of the place.<\/p>\n
Across from the hotel, travelers should not miss the Medan
\nPost Office, built from 1909 to 1911. The Dutch architect, Snuyf,
\nwas the head of civil public works for the colony at the time.<\/p>\n
It appears the best maintained of all the historical
\nbuildings.<\/p>\n
On Jl. Imam Bonjol, the former residence of the Sumatra
\nEastcoast administrators is now a Standard Chartered Bank office.
\nIt has been renovated, but retains its elegant design.<\/p>\n
Most of the buildings are now in private hands, but many of
\nthose who work at them, or even own them, perhaps know little
\nabout their history.<\/p>\n
Yes, change is inevitable. But the city would do well to look
\nback on its interesting past, and see what it has to offer today,
\nbefore it falls to the wrecker's ball.<\/p>",
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