Old Jakarta at present

Old Jakarta at present

As the capital city, Jakarta has seen many changes and has lived
through many development plans. Many historical sites and
buildings have been replaced by business premises. This year,
Jakarta celebrates its 477th anniversary. This is the fifth of
six-part series on old city landmarks that still exist today.

GOVERNOR GENERAL'S PALACE

In 1869, Governor General Pieter Mijer (whose tenure was between
1866-1872) requested permission from the Dutch ministry of
colonial affairs to build a new official residence for the
governor general because the existing residence of Rijswijk (now
Jl. Veteran) was considered inadequate. The new residence was
built in the backyard of the old official household, facing the
Koningsplein Noord (now Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara) and was
completed in 1879. The building still exists and is now
recognized as the Merdeka Palace. It serves as the president's
official residence.