Soekarno & Hatta Statue

On a day much like today, but steeped in the gravity of history, a man stood on a simple porch. That man was Sukarno, and that porch belonged to his house at Jalan Pegangsaan Timur 56, now Jalan Proklamasi. Right here, in the heart of Jakarta, at the site of that demolished house, stands the Soekarno & Hatta Statue. It’s more than bronze and stone; it’s a monument to the very moment Indonesia declared its independence. The Soekarno & Hatta Statue isn’t just a statue. It is a tableau, frozen in time. It captures the precise moment of the proclamation, Sukarno and Hatta side-by-side. Look closely. The figures stand as they did in the photographs of that momentous occasion. The Soekarno & Hatta Statue is immense, each bronze figure weighing 1,200 kilograms. They flank a bronze replica of the proclamation manuscript. Behind them, seventeen monolithic sculptures rise, the tallest reaching eight meters. Forty-five protrusions adorn a cascading waterfall, symbolizing August 17, 1945, Indonesia’s Independence Day. This entire park, Taman Proklamasi, resonates with history. A year after independence, a small obelisk was erected here by a group of Indonesian women. It was called the “One Year Anniversary of Indonesian Republic Memorial”. Later, it became known as the Tugu Proklamasi or Proclamation Monument. This monument, along with Sukarno’s house, was demolished in 1960. Sukarno reportedly deemed them not grand enough. However, thanks to Governor Ali Sadikin, the Tugu Proklamasi was rebuilt in 1972. Today, the Soekarno & Hatta Statue stands proudly in Taman Proklamasi, a silent witness to Indonesia’s journey to freedom. As you stand here, imagine the echoes of Sukarno’s voice declaring independence. This monument commemorates that courageous act. It symbolizes the enduring spirit of Indonesia.