Doesn’t the air around Cikini feel different? It is thick with history and whispers of a vibrant past. Cikini is not just another area in Jakarta. It’s a place where the past and present dance together.
Once part of Weltevreden Cikini was an elite residential area. Weltevreden was on the outskirts of old Batavia. Today Cikini stands as a testament to Jakarta’s rich heritage.
In the late 18th century Cikini became a supporting elite area. Europeans settled here after leaving Old Batavia. The old city was too polluted and unhealthy. Cikini became a simple plot of land leading to Menteng. Landlords built houses here for themselves.
The story of Cikini is intertwined with Raden Saleh. He was a Javanese-Arab socialite and Indonesia’s first maestro of classical painting. Raden Saleh owned a large piece of land in Cikini. This land included Taman Ismail Marzuki SMP Negeri 1 Cikini and the Jami Al Ma’mur Cikini mosque.
Raden Saleh’s love for animals and plants was immense. He transformed part of his estate into a botanical and zoological park. It was Indonesia’s first zoo named Planten en Dierentuin te Batavia.
Upon Raden Saleh’s death in 1880 he donated his Cikini land. The Dutch colonial government received it. The zoo became a public park called Taman Raden Saleh. In 1949 it was renamed Cikini Zoo. As Jakarta grew the zoo was moved to Ragunan in 1964. Ali Sadikin Jakarta’s first governor transformed the Cikini Zoo land. It became Taman Ismail Marzuki TIM a central hub for arts culture and education.
Rumah Raden Saleh remains one of Cikini’s most treasured historical sites. It sits within the PGI Cikini Hospital estate. The house showcases a Neo-gothic structure. Raden Saleh designed it himself. It was inspired by Callenberg Castle in Germany. Visitors can see distinctive architectural features. Rose windows adorn the pointed facade. Middle Eastern influences mark its porticoes. High-ceilinged halls surround a second-floor balcony. A skylight connects directly to the ground floor. This space was Saleh’s favorite for social affairs and dance parties. Some of Raden Saleh’s belongings remain including his writing desk and painting tools.
The Kantor Pos Cikini also stands as a unique European-style building. Its art deco design sets it apart. Built in 1920 it supported the colonial administration. It served residents and traders traveling to and from the Netherlands.
Tan Ek Tjoan established the first business near the post office in 1921. This bread factory produced roti gambang a cinnamon bread. Europeans loved it. The Cikini factory closed in 2015. The government prohibited production within the city. Yet vendors still sell this legendary bread.
Bakoel Koffie is a cozy spot in Cikini. It provides a relaxing experience. This coffee shop began as a humble stall. It sold Indonesia’s best coffee beans. Bakoel Koffie has been in operation since 1878. Liauw Tek Soen and his Indonesian wife founded it.
Cikini train station is a stop on the commuter lines. These lines connect Jakarta Kota and Bogor. Once a bus stop it developed into a train stop. This served visitors to Cikini Zoo. The train lines have been in use since 1871.
Cikini also had railway lines for transporting opium. Opium sales became a key income source for the Dutch government. The former opium factory is now part of the University of Indonesia Dentistry campus.
SMPN 1 Cikini was built in 1909. It was the first school for indigenous people in Batavia. Perguruan Cikini Percik witnessed an assassination attempt on President Soekarno in 1957.
Cikini continues to be a vibrant area. It lives up to its name Weltevreden. This means a calm and satisfying place. It blends history culture and modern life seamlessly.