Jakarta old town or also known as Old Batavia is a small area in Jakarta, Indonesia. In the 16th century the city Jakarta was named Batavia by the Dutch colony. It is named “the Jewel of Asia” or the “Queen of the East” by European sailors.

Back in 1526, the Sultanate of Demak sent Fatahillah to invade the Hindu port of Sunda Kelapa, which is now located in northern Jakarta, still under the same name ‘Sunda Kelapa’. He changed the port’s name to Jayakarta. Today, the old Jakarta city hall is located right at the square named the Fatahillah Square.

Jayakarta then was only 15 Ha in size and rendered in traditional Javanese coastal city. In 1619 the VOC (The Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie) destroyed Jayakarta under the command of Jan Pieterzoon Coen. The town’s name Jayakarta was then changed to “Batavia” to honor Batavieren, the Dutch ancestors.

The inhabitant of Batavia are called “Batavianen”, later known as “Betawi” people, the creole ethnic, the descendants of mixed various ethnicities that has inhabited Batavia.

Popularity: 3% [?]