For you who enjoy dark tourism, this recreation spot should be on your traveling list! Taman Prasasti Museum located behind the Gajah Museum. This place is the cemetery of public figures in the Dutch colonialism era to Indonesia’s revolution era. There are some interesting facts about this museum. Check this out!
1. It was named with Kebon Jahe Kober Cemetery. This place was also known as Tanah Abang Dutch Cemetery.
2. This museum was officially inaugurated by the Jakarta’s Governor in 1977, Ali Sadikin
3. In 1975, this cemetery was built because of some epidemic which made many people suffered and died, including the Dutch people who lived in Batavia. The mortality rate increased rapidly, making the well-known cemetery in that era, Nieuw Hollandsche Kerk Cemetery, was full. So the Dutch Governor made new cemetery and that was Tanah Abang Dutch Cemetery.
4. This cemetery had an area of 5.5 hectares, but now it is only 1.3 hectares because of the fast development of town construction nowadays so it took some of this cemetery land.
5. Most of the cemetery in Nieuw Hollandsche Kerk was moved here and marked with HK.
6. Taman Prasasti Museum has 1.372 tombs.
7. Some public figures buried here, are:
V. Michiels, a Dutch army in Buleleng War.
H.F. Roll, the founder of STOVIA or known as Medical School in Dutch colonialism.
H.R. Kohler, a Dutch army in Aceh War.
Olivia Marianne Raffles, the wife from Thomas Stamford Raffles. When England Government took part in Indonesia, he was the England General Governor for Dutch East Indies, Singapore, and Bengkulu.
Kapitan Jas, people believed this tomb can bring fertility, salvation, prosperity, and bliss.
Miss Riboet, a well-known opera figure in 1930s.
Soe Hok Gie, a Chinese Indonesian activist in college student movement in 1960s.
8. This cemetery located on the edge of Kali Krukut (kali: river), so the corpse was often brought through this river with their families.
9. This cemetery was ever awarded as the oldest modern cemetery, juxtaposed with the Singapore’s Fort Canning Park built in 1926, Sydney’s Gore Hill Cemetery built in 1868, Paris’ Père Lachaise Cemetery built in 1803, and Massachusetts’ Mount Auburn Cemetery built in 1831.
These are the 9 facts you should know before you visit this one of the oldest cemeteries in the world. Enjoy your trip!