Five bridges once graced Jembatan Lima. That’s the legend at least. Jembatan Lima meaning Five Bridges in Indonesian. This bustling neighborhood in West Jakarta wasn’t always so vibrant.
Imagine a time long ago. Before towering buildings and crowded streets. Jembatan Lima was swampy and wild. Locals called it a place where spirits abandoned their children. A truly spooky place. It was so remote and overgrown nobody ventured near it.
Under Dutch rule Jembatan Lima belonged to Penjaringan district. Later under Japanese occupation it became part of Penjaringan Son district. After independence Jembatan Lima became its own district. It is now one of eleven villages in Tambora sub-district. These administrative shifts shaped its identity.
The name Jembatan Lima however comes from something more tangible than spirits. Five bridges connected the different hamlets that made up Jembatan Lima. These bridges were vital for connecting people and trade. These were located on Jalan Hasyim Ashari Jalan Petuakan Kedung Kampung Masjid and Kampung Sawah. Sadly these bridges are gone. Vanished with the river Cibubur which once flowed through the area. The river was filled with mud and made into bubur.
The old kampung or villages also bear interesting names. Kampung Sawah Lio for example was named for a place where bricks were fired. Kampung Kerendang often flooded. Kampung Petak Serani was home to Christian families. These names offer glimpses into the past. They are more clues into what life was like here once. Many names are gone though. Lost to time and redevelopment.
Today Jembatan Lima is a densely populated area. Its activity seems endless. Life is busy and fast-paced. It thrives day and night. Yet hints of its history still remain. The echoes of five bridges. The memory of a wild and swampy past. Jembatan Lima’s story blends myth and reality. It’s a place of layers. Both old and new.