Bandung, Indonesia

Bandung, Indonesia

Since Indonesia achieved independence in 1945, the city has experienced rapid development and urbanisation, transforming Bandung from idyllic town into a dense 16,500 people/km2 metropolitan area, a living space for over 2 million people. Natural resources have been exploited excessively, particularly by conversion of protected upland area into highland villas and real estate. Although the city has encountered many problems, Bandung still attracts immigrants and weekend travelers.
The northern part of the city is more hilly than the rest; the distinguished truncated flat-peak shape of the Tangkuban Perahu volcano can be seen from the city to the north. Long-term volcanic activity has created fertile andisol soil in the north, suitable for intensive rice, fruit, tea, tobacco and coffee plantations. In the south and east, alluvial soils deposited by the Cikapundung river are mostly found.
In 1880, the 1st major railroad between Batavia and Bandung was completed, boosting light industry in Bandung. Chinese from outside the city flocked in, to help run facilities, services and selling vendor machines. The area around the train station is still recognisable as the old Chinatown district. In 1906, Bandung was given the status of gemeente and then twenty years later stadsgemeente (city municipality).
In the beginning of the 1920s, the Dutch East Indies government made plans to move the capital of Dutch East Indies from Batavia to Bandung. Accordingly, during this decade, the Dutch colonial government started building military barracks, the central government building and other government buildings. However, this plan, was cut short by World War II, after which the Dutch were not able to re-establish their colony.
The fertile area of the Parahyangan Mountains surrounding Bandung supports productive tea plantations. In the nineteenth century, Franz Junghuhn introduced the cinchona plant. With its cooler elevated landscape, surrounded by major plantations, Bandung became an exclusive European resort area. Rich plantation owners visited the city on weekends, attracting ladies and business people from the capital, Batavia. Braga Street grew into a promenade street with cafes, restaurants and boutique shops. Two art-deco style hotels, Savoy Homann and Preanger, were built in the vicinity of the Concordia Society, a club house for the wealthy with a large ballroom and a theatre. The nickname "Parijs van Java" was given to the city.
After the Indonesian Independence in 1945, Bandung was determined as the capital of West Java province. During the 1945â€"1949 independence struggle against the Dutch when they wanted to reclaim their colonies, Bandung was one of the heaviest battle places. At the end of World War II nearly no Dutch troops were in Java. Before restoring Dutch sovereignty, the British took a military hold on Java's major cities. The British military commander set an ultimatum for the Indonesian combatants in Bandung to leave the city. In response, on 24 March 1946, much of the southern part of Bandung was deliberately set alight as the combatants left; an event known as the Bandung Lautan Api or 'Bandung Sea of Flame'.
In 1955, the 1st Asian-African Conference â€" also known as the Bandung Conference â€" was held in Bandung by President Soekarno, attended by head of states representing twenty-nine countries and colonies from Asia and Africa. The conference venue was at the Gedung Merdeka, the former Concordia Society building. The conference announced 10 points of declaration on world peace promotion and oppositions against colonialism, known as the Declaration of Bandung, which followed by wave of nationalism movements around the globe and remapped the world politics. The conference was also the 1st international conference of people of colour in the history of mankind. Richard Wright in his book, The Color Curtain, captured the epic meanings of the conference for people of colour around the world.
In 2005, the concurrent Asian-African Conference also taking partly in Bandung, bringing world figures such as President of Indonesia Susilo B. Yudhoyono, President of China Hu Jintao, Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh, President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki, President of Nigeria Obasanjo, and countless other luminaries.
In 1987, the city boundary was expanded with the Greater Bandung plan; a relocation of higher concentration development outside the city in an attempt to dilute some of population in the old city. During its development, however, the city core is often uprooted, old faces are torn down, lot sizes regrouped, and what was idyllic residence is bustling chain supermarkets and rich banks.
Most of Bandung's population are of Sundanese descent. Javanese people are the largest minority; they mostly come from the nearby province and the eastern part of Java. Other minorities include Minangkabau people, Chinese Indonesians and Batak.
Bandung is home to numerous examples of Dutch colonial architecture; most notably the tropical Art Deco architectural style. Henri Maclaine-Pont was among the 1st Dutch architects to recognise the importance of combining each architectural style with local cultural traditions. He stressed that modern architecture should interact with local history and native elements. In 1920, Pont planned and designed buildings for the 1st technical university in the Dutch East Indies, Technische Hogeschool te Bandung, after which he was named as a professor in architecture at the university. A striking local Sundanese roof style is clearly seen adorning the top of the campus' ceremonial hall, embedded in his artwork.
In the same year, another Dutch architect J Gerber designed Gouverments Bedrijven in line with the colonial government plan to move the capital from Batavia to Bandung. The building is an example of a harmonious mixture between West and East architectural styles, particularly the Italian Renaissance style of arch structures in the west wing and Thailand's pagoda-like structures in the middle section. The building is known as Gedung Sate, named after the distinguished small satay-shaped structure on the roof, and is today used as the head office of West Java provincial government and West Java's house of representative.
The modern and native architectural blending was followed by several Dutch architects that have shaped the city landmarks. In the 1930s, Bandung was known also as the city of architecture laboratory because of the many Dutch architects who experimented with new architectural designs. Albert Aalbers added the expressionist architecture style to the Art Deco by designing the DENIS bank and renovated the Savoy Homann Hotel (1939). C.P.W. Schoemaker was one of architects who strongly added native elements in his artworks, including the Villa Isola (1932), Hotel Preanger (1929), the regional military headquarter (1918), Gedung Merdeka (1921) and ITB Rectorate Building (1925).
Bandung is a popular weekend destination of residents of Jakarta. The cooler climate of the highland plantation area, the varieties of food, the cheaper fashion shops located in factory outlets and distros, golf courses, and the zoo, are some of the attractions of the city. Bandung is also a popular shopping destination for the good value of its textile and fashion products among Malaysians and Singaporeans.
In the 1990s, local designers opened denim clothing stores along Cihampelas Street which transformed into a "jeans street". The city attracts people from other big cities to buy local fashion wears, as they are cheaper than branded items. Beside at Cihampelas Street, many factory outlets also opened at Riau Street, Setiabudi Street, and Djuanda Street. Textile factories on the outskirts of Bandung have opened factory outlets on site selling what is marketed as sisa export (rejected or over-produced export quality items). Bandung Supermal, Bandung Indah Plaza, Ciwalk (abbreviation of Cihampelas Walk) and Paris van Java are popular shopping centres in Bandung.
Bandung is the home town of the Persib Bandung football team. Another team, Persikab, is based in the neighbouring town of Soreang, the capital city of Bandung Regency and Pelita Jaya Jawa Barat. It shares its home base stadium with Persikab at Si Jalak Harupat stadium in Soreang and Pro Duta. Persib Bandung's home base stadium is Siliwangi Stadium. Other popular sports in Bandung include badminton. The roads leading up to Lembang and Dago are popular routes for mountain cycling during the weekend. In the hillside around Bandung, there are several golf courses.
Bandung can be accessed through highways from Jakarta. An intercity toll highway called Cipularang toll road, connecting Jakarta, Karawang, Purwakarta, Padalarang and Bandung, has recently been completed in May 2005. It is currently the fastest way to go to Bandung from the capital. Driving time is about 1.5 hours on average. There are 3 other options: the Puncak route, Purwakarta route (Jakarta-Cikampek-Purwakarta-Cikalong Wetan-Padalarang-Cimahi-Bandung) and the Subang route (Jakarta-Cikampek-Subang-Lembang-Bandung). From eastern part of the cities (Cirebon, Tasikmalaya and Central Java province), Bandung can be accessed through the main provincial road. Indonesian National Route 3 links Bandung towards Cilegon and Ketapang (Banyuwangi).
Bandung Husein Sastranegara International Airport serves direct domestic flights to Batam, Pekanbaru, Medan, Bandar Lampung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Semarang, Banjarmasin, Makassar, and also international services from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The airport is located nearby the Dirgantara aerospace complex and Dirgantara Fairground.
Bandung has two large railway stations, i.e. Bandung and Kiaracondong Stations. Other smaller stations are Cimindi, Andir, Ciroyom, Cikudapateuh, and Gedebage Stations. Railway connects Bandung to Cianjur, Jakarta, Purwakarta, Bekasi, Karawang and Cikampek to the west, and Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Solo to the east. It is also the major means of transportation for people living in suburb areas of Cimahi, Padalarang, Rancaekek, Cicalengka and Cileunyi. In 2012 Bandung Commuter Train phase-1 will be built to connect Padalarang, Cimahi, Bandung and Cicalengka. 13 Trans Metro Bandung corridors will serve as feeders. The phase-2 will connect Cicalengka to Jatinangor.
Trans Metro Bandung along Soekarno-Hatta street will be finished on August 2011 with cost of Rp13.1 billion ($1.54 million). Additional 30 buses will join the current operation of 10 buses, after all shelters have been finished.
Since 21 June 2011 Damri operator has launched 2 buses with route Cibiru-Kebon Kelapa vice versa special for women passengers only with women drivers. It accommodated the certain religion needs.
In 5 August 2011 Jusuf Kalla has announced that he would like to build a monorail in Bandung with value about Rp.4 trillion.
As of April 2012, the cable car project 'Bandung Skybridge' to connect Pasteur to Sabuga is at 90 percent of completion awaiting legal authorisation to operate. When approved, it will be operational within a year.
There are hundreds of public and private schools in Bandung. Like in other Indonesian cities, Bandung has several state-funded and administered State Junior High Schools and State High Schools (SMA Negeri). At least sixteen universities â€" three of which are state-owned â€" and 45 professional schools are scattered across the city. Education from social sciences, technology until tourism education can be found in one of those universities.

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