Explore the history of the beautiful port city of Jakarta through the eyes of a soul-searching traveler on top of the majestic Menara Syahbandar, a popular guard tower. Jakarta is vibrant city with a fusion of culture, food and entertainment to name a few of the many things the capital of Indonesia is known for. Visitors in Jakarta should not miss, the opportunity to ascend the Menara Syahbandar and enjoy panoramic views over the Kali Besar Bridge. This part of the city is steeped in history and also the sights around the busy Sunda Kelapa harbor can be viewed with its many multihued sailboats providing a stark contrast against the picturesque blue Java Sea. In addition the ruins of the Dutch fortress built in the 17th century can also be seen. Also one can follow the path of the scenic Ciliwung River as it makes its way across the city.
History tells us that the Menara Syahbandar, built in 1839 was originally constructed in place of the old flag pole in the busy ship dock on the river. In its heyday during the Batavia period it was used as a defense tower, to observe and record the movements of ships, especially ships which were about to berth in the harbor. Menara Syahbandar called Uitkijk by the Dutch was part of a fortress when the tower was originally built and contains influence from Dutch architecture. Furthermore, there is a museum called Museum Bahari located to the west of the tower and houses a wide variety of maps which shows the development of the city from historical times to the modern day. The tower more recently has been used as a meteorological post to track weather patterns around this harbor city.
Travelers looking to explore Menara Syahbandar and other historical places of interest could find ample accommodation in serviced apartments Jakarta. Somerset Grand Citra Jakarta is an ideal serviced accommodation Jakarta for both business travelers and holidaymakers as it is conveniently located close to the Golden Triangle district containing a plethora of businesses, financial institutions, shopping malls, restaurants and a host of entertainment options to choose from.
