Medan's heritage buildings fall by the wayside

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.