Visiting Bung Karno's Cell at Sukamiskin Prison: A Free Historical Tourist Attraction

Sukamiskin Class I Prison in Bandung, West Java, holds Type A cultural heritage status due to the authenticity of its colonial-era architecture. Beyond its physical structure, cell 233 in the East Block holds profound historical significance.

Regarding the building, Sukamiskin was designated as a Type A heritage site in 2010. Any fundamental changes to the structure require permission from the cultural heritage expert team of the Bandung City Tourism Office, explained Jajang Sulton, Head of Personnel, at Sukamiskin Class I Prison on Tuesday (2/9/2026).

Cell 233 is historically significant as it was once occupied by the first President of the Republic of Indonesia, Sukarno, or Bung Karno. It is known that prior to the independence era, Bung Karno was imprisoned in Sukamiskin for opposing the Dutch colonial government.

To visit Bung Karno’s cell, visitors must first submit a written request to the West Java Regional Office of the Directorate General of Corrections. Once permission is granted by the regional office, the information is forwarded to the prison. The permit process is relatively quick and can sometimes be processed within a single day, said Jajang.

He noted that Sukamiskin Prison is the first prison in the country to operate as a tourism destination. Currently, visitors range from primary and secondary school students to university students.