Jatinegara
Jatinegara | ||
---|---|---|
Administrative city East Jakarta | | |
Area | ||
• Total | 10.64 km2 (4.11 sq mi) | |
Population | ||
• Total | 263,706 | |
• Density | 25,000/km2 (64,000/sq mi) | |
Postal code | 133XX and 134XX |
Jatinegara (originally known as Meester Cornelis or Meester for short) is one of the districts (Indonesian: kecamatan) of the administrative city of East Jakarta, Indonesia. The name also refers to the larger, historic area of the colonial town of Meester Cornelis. Established in the 17th century, Jatinegara is one of the oldest areas in Jakarta, and contains a number of buildings from the colonial period.
The area is historically known for its cosmopolitan character, dominated formerly by indigenous Christians from the so-called Outer Islands, but also with sizeable Chinese and Arab communities (Vreemde Oosterlingen or 'foreign orientals').[1] Jatinegara railway station, one of the biggest railway stations in Jakarta, is located on the boundary between the districts of Jatinegara and Matraman.
Another Jatinegara, an
History
Pre-colonial era
The name Jatinegara is derived from Jatina Nagara, Sundanese for "the might of the state", symbolizing the resistance of the princes of Banten in their fight against the Dutch East India Company. Local lore claims that, sometime in the 17th century, Jatinegara became home to a settlement of Bantenese princes and their followers.[2]
Early colonial period
During the Dutch colonial period, the area was renamed Meester Cornelis, after Cornelis Senen. He was one of the most celebrated Malay-speaking (
During the 18th century, Meester Cornelis was a military district with residential areas, wide roads, and a semi-rural character. A buffalo market, known for its "Thursday Market", was built in the vicinity in 1706. A fort was built in 1734. The commander of the fort established entertainment facilities around the fort, including a playhouse. In 1746, an encampment for soldiers with malaria was built in this area because of its higher altitude and drier air.
An artillery school was established in 1805. In 1810, the
Meester Cornelis Military School was opened in 1852 and closed in 1892. While not the first military school in the Dutch East Indies, it was certainly the most successful. One third of the students were born in the colony; the majority came from the Netherlands; and one tenth were other Europeans, mostly from Germany. Most students were from the middle class. The school was later closed down because of financial problems: only one in three students graduated, so the costs per student were unacceptably high.
Modern colonial period
Beginning in the 19th century, Jatinegara became one of Batavia's key transportation nodes. A horse tram was established in 1869 connecting Meester Cornelis to Kota Intan (the "Diamond City", the oldest Dutch settlement in Jakarta), via Harmoni. On January 31, 1873, the
In 1881, a steam-powered tram was established between Kota Intan and Meester Cornelis through Glodok, Harmoni, Pasar Baru, Pasar Senen and Kramat. On 6 April 1925, electric trains operated for the first time, serving a 15.6 km route from Port Tanjung Priok to Jatinegara and 2.6 km route from Jatinegara to Manggarai. The numerous public transportation lines servicing Meester Cornelis indicated the significance of this area at that time.[2]
Meester was, at first, governed by an Assistant-Resident, overseeing a traditional bureaucracy with separate administrations for the Europeans, 'Foreign Orientals' and indigenous population of the territory. In 1905, Meester Cornelis was chartered as a town with its own council, similar to Batavia; then sometime after 1922, a Mayor replaced the Assistant-Resident. The Mayors were Mr. M. Doorninck (1922–1932) and Mr. G. Pitlo (1933–1935).
Being strategically located, Meester Cornelis also became a center for entertainment and leisure. One of Jakarta's earliest cinemas, the relatively modest Centrale Cinema, was opened in 1912 on what is now Jalan Matraman. The cinema would continue to be called Centrale up until the early 1950s, but then underwent a name change to Djaja Cinema (probably during the Sukarno period). The cinema was demolished sometime in the 1980s.[5]
In 1935, Meester Cornelis was officially transferred to the administration of the government of Batavia.
Japanese occupation and Indonesian independence
Under the Japanese occupation, the name Meester Cornelis was deemed too Dutch, and was changed to Djatinegara. The name has been retained to this day, though older residents, certain transportation routes and one of the local markets still use the old, colonial name 'Meester'.
Subdistricts
Jatinegara is one of the districts of
The district of Jatinegara is divided into eight kelurahan or subdistricts:
Name | Area/postal code |
---|---|
Bali Mester | 13310 |
Kampung Melayu | 13320 |
Bidaracina | 1330 |
Cipinang Cempedak | 13340 |
Rawa Bunga | 13350 |
Cipinang Besar Utara | 13410 |
Cipinang Besar Selatan | 13410 |
Cipinang Muara | 13420 |
List of important places
- Koinonia Church
- Bethesda Church
- St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church
- Fu De Gong Chinese Temple
- Shia Djin Kong Chinese Temple
- Cipinang Besar Cemetery (Chinese Cemetery)
- Jatinegara Regional Market
- Kampung Melayu Terminal
- Mpu Tantular University
- Gedung Wedana Meester Cornelis[4]
- Pasar Rawa Bening[4]
- Pasar Mester[4]
- Pasar Induk Beras Cipinang[4]
Notable residents
- revenue farmer and an ancestor of the Lauw-Sim-Zecha family
- Lauw Tek Kang, Luitenant der Chinezen of Meester Cornelis: Lauw Ho's son, landlord and bureaucrat
Other
The Meester-Cornelis (H5) meteorite fell in Jakarta Raya, Indonesia, on 2 June 1915. A total mass of 24.75 kg was recovered.
References
- ISBN 9789793780719. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
- ^ a b W. Poerbo, Heru. Rejuvenating Meester Cornelis (PDF). Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ Mahdi 2007, p. 101.
- ^ a b c d e http://jakartapedia.bpadjakarta.net/index.php/Kecamatan_Jatinegara Kecamatan Jatinegara
- ^ Merrillees 2015, p. 88.
Cited works
- Mahdi, Mahdi (2007). Malay Words and Malay Things - Lexical Souvernirs from an Exotic Archipelago in German Publications before 1700. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 9783447054928.
- Merrillees, Scott (2015). Jakarta: Portraits of a Capital 1950-1980. Jakarta: Equinox Publishing. ISBN 9786028397308.