Indonesia’s Old Semarang City Named National Heritage Site

As the area began to grow, it attracted Malay merchants to come and built a new community. This was marked by the establishment of the Layur Mosque, which is also one of the cultural heritage buildings.

The Chinese then came and they lived next to the Malay community. However, when the Dutch East India Company (VOC) came, Ita explained, the Chinese moved to another location, which is now called Chinatown. They built the Tay Kak Sie Temple.

Meanwhile, she said, the people from the Dutch East India Company lived in an area which is now known as the Old City.

The new status of the heritage site

Ita said following its new status as a national heritage site, any projects of revitalization in all four areas must be under cultural heritage regulations.

“A revitalization or restoration project [of a building] cannot change the exterior parts. It can only change the inside part of the building,” she said.

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She is optimistic that if the refurbishment program is undertaken in all areas in the Old Semarang City, this will boost tourism and increase the community’s economy.

The beautification project will also be done in the Malay Village, Kauman, and the Chinatown areas so that they will look as attractive as the Old City area, she said. The Old City areas — which has many Dutch colonial buildings — have already been developed a few years ago and become one of the popular tourist destinations in Semarang.

The Semarang River which flows through all four areas of the Old Semarang City will also be improved. The construction will be carried out according to the direction of the Semarang administration, she said.

(Writer: Nur Rohmi Aida | Editor: Inggried Dwi Wedhaswary)

Source: https://www.kompas.com/tren/read/2020/08/21/210042665/kota-semarang-lama-ditetapkan-menjadi-kawasan-cagar-budaya-nasional?page=1.