Medan's heritage buildings fall by the wayside
Evi Mariani The Jakarta Post/Medan
The third most populous city in the country, Medan is changing fast. In a bid to live up to its recently obtained metropolitan status, the North Sumatra capital has much state-of-the-art construction planned.
But it seems that in putting its new, modern face forward, Medan is turning its back on its preindependence legacy of old buildings.
The city once boasted 600 buildings constructed from 1860 to 1960; now, according to the Sumatra Heritage Trust, the precious legacy has dwindled to only 300.
Still, the ones that remain make for a pleasurable architectural tour, despite the city's notorious traffic jams and air pollution.
Travelers can start their tour at the Great Mosque, reportedly built in 1906. The mosque has undergone several renovations, but many of its original materials are still intact, such as the tiles and colorful stained-glass windows (although some of the latter, unfortunately, have holes in them).
"Kids used to play soccer outside. They accidentally broke some of the mosque's windows with their football's," the mosque attendant said.
Near the mosque on Jl. Brigjen Katamso stands the Maimoon Palace, where Deli sultans once lived.
Today, about 20 families, descendants of the sultan, live in rooms at the back of the main part of the palace. Visitors who climb upstairs to the porch of the palace will likely run into some of family members chatting with each other.
A host welcomes visitors and gives a short tour of the palace.
"This is the throne of the Deli sultan, used when the extended family gathers to hold annual ceremonies," the host said, showing a set of yellow pillows and a couch of gold thread.
"Now the sultan lives with his wife in Sulawesi."
The palace, built in 1888, has some remarkable original architecture and decorations, but it is in deteriorating condition. Graffiti also mars some of the structure.
Only 10 minutes away by motorbike or the motorized pedicabs of the city are rows of historical buildings along Jl. Ahmad Yani. The street, formerly known as Kesawan, is packed with souvenir shops, music equipment stores and sports shops.
Since February last year, the street has been closed at night to make room for food stalls for the city's foodies. The nightly food bazaar, Kesawan Square, can accommodate up to 2,000 diners.
The organizer of Kesawan Square, PT Star Indonesia, opted for Jl. Ahmad Yani because the street's historical buildings provide a nostalgic atmosphere for diners.
Unfortunately, due to the unpredictable weather, the organizer has been forced to erect large tents, thus obstructing the view of the buildings.
One of those escaping the obstruction is a mansion built in 1900. It once belonged to Tjong A Fie, a mayor in Medan's Chinese community. The owner of about 20 plantations in North Sumatra, he could be considered one of the country's first Chinese magnates.
His descendants continue to live in the house, and visitors can knock on the door and request a tour.
For those in need of a pick-me-up after the tour, on the street is Restaurant Tip Top, which offers a menu of a blend of Chinese-Indonesian-Dutch original recipes.
"The most popular choices here are our steaks, nasi goreng (fried rice) as well as our various choices of cakes, especially the mocha cakes and the mocha ice cream," said the latest owner of the restaurant, Freddy Kelana.
The restaurant and its bakery, having stood on Jl. Ahmad Yani since 1934, still cook the old-fashioned way in keeping with the tastes of longtime customers.
"We make our own mocha by frying coffee beans, we don't use chemicals here. We bake the cakes with wood-fired brick ovens," Freddy said.
A stroll up the street toward Merdeka Square, formerly known as Esplanades, leads to PP London Sumatra, once owned by British Plantation Company and known as the Juliana Building.
During the preindependence era, Medan was home to the head offices of large Dutch plantation companies, like tobacco and rubber, in North Sumatra.
A short walk straight in the direction of the City Hall, which is being revamped, leads travelers to Dharma Deli Hotel, built in 1898. It was the city's leading Hotel De Boer in the 1930s, according to the book Tour through historical Medan and its surroundings, penned by Dirk Aedsge Buiskool, a Dutch historian based in Medan.
The hotel's employees are happy to take interested visitors on a tour of the place.
Across from the hotel, travelers should not miss the Medan Post Office, built from 1909 to 1911. The Dutch architect, Snuyf, was the head of civil public works for the colony at the time.
It appears the best maintained of all the historical buildings.
On Jl. Imam Bonjol, the former residence of the Sumatra Eastcoast administrators is now a Standard Chartered Bank office. It has been renovated, but retains its elegant design.
Most of the buildings are now in private hands, but many of those who work at them, or even own them, perhaps know little about their history.
Yes, change is inevitable. But the city would do well to look back on its interesting past, and see what it has to offer today, before it falls to the wrecker's ball.