Snapshots of Tugu Muda Monument

Tugu Muda or Youth Monument is a stone monument that represents 5 days war heroes who struggled against Japanese troops who tried to occupied Semarang in the year of 1945. The monument itself is built about 5 years after the war. During Dutch Colonial Era, Tugu Muda site is reconized as a park called Wilhelminaplein.

The monument is situated in a main cross roads and surrounding with famous old buildings in Semarang City, such as Lawang Sewu, Randusari Church and also Pasar Bulu Market. Based on historical notes, the monument is situated at an old open ground from Dutch Colonial Era that is called as Wilhelmina Plein. At the south side of the monument, a glimpse of Gunung Brintik hill is shown as a green screen background with largest cemetry area in the town is hidden behind. An official residence house for Central Java Governor is now situated at the west-end side of the monument.

Nowadays, the monument looks elaborate within its garden and fountains and becoming a simple city landmark. It looks simply fresh when the citizen passing by the monument during busy hot days at Semarang City.

Snapshots to Semarang Harbor

These are just simple quick snapshots during a walk through around the old lighthouse at Semarang harbor. The pictures are captured during my visit on July 2011. Pictures of medium size ships were docking in front of the light house at the river side might be part of the origin of the old Semarang harbor.

Typical large wooden ships are made a port including a Search and Rescue ship are shown and were directly docking in front of the light house. The appearance and glimpse of the lighthouse are shown in the harbor scenery. The place where the sips are made a port is part of 600 meter long harbor strip that spreading out from the bridge near Martadinata outer ring road at southern-end side to the opposite northern-end side of harbor strip.

Some imaginations might be raised in related with the history about this place. Maybe about Dutch's naval ships fleet that ever emerging and establishing their rule over this city and also about Admiral Cheng Ho from the Emperor of China that might be ever passed this river during his friendship visit to Semarang City.

Sendowo Street View; Bird Market and Remaining Pieces of The Old City

Sendowo Street is about 400 meter long of messy street at the outer perimeter of the old city conservation area. Currently, it looks like a concealed backyard belong to the 'old little Netherland' area.


Sendowo Street is accessible from Suari Street (a street that is perpendicularly placed against the famous Blenduk Church), and from the Suari Street intersection we can directly find bird market belong to the street vendors. A small street market under the shadows of remaining abandoned old buildings and pedestrian trees.



I think I found 'old city' become alive and transformed at Sendowo Street in another and different kind of its daily life. It looks alive maybe because the street is partially transformed as a bird market and place for the orange urban minibus passengers find its end route. Rest of that, there are only remaining abandoned aged old buildings keep standing in silence.

Srigunting Park; A Green Park with Four Old Tamarind Trees

'Srigunting' is a local name of a local bird with its 'scissors-like' tail. The park is currently is named with a bird name maybe because surrounding neighborhood small streets nearby are named with bird names. The park itself is like a small green oasis in the old city conservation area and situated directly near "Gereja Blenduk" site.


There are four big old tamarind trees that is shadowing this open park area and become a main green point of interest around "Gereja Blenduk" area. The open space that is created by the park provide adequate exposures that makes the old buildings around the park are properly visible in its best angle of views.



During Dutch Colonial Era, this park is known as Parade Plein. The park is previously revitalized by local authority and another future plans maybe prepared. for some changes. At least until today the remaining four old tamarind trees are still existed there. Nowadays, Srigunting Park with its old big trees is still give enough shadows and keep the center of old city conservation area condition in comfortably fresh and cool during hot days at Semarang City.

Gunung Brintik, a Green Cruel Hill in the Middle of the City

'Gunung' simply means hill and 'brintik' refers to cruel hair. Gunung Brintik could be freely translated as 'cruel hill', a green small hill near Tugu Muda Monument and Lawang Sewu which are recognized as famous city landmarks in Semarang City.

First time I heard Gunung Brintik name, I thought it was associated with dense vegetation blanket that covered a high steep hill slope which is located near my junior high school's back yard (or it could be an inner courtyard belong to overall school venue). But, it might be also related with old local legend story about this place.


This green and lush side of Gunung Brintik was part of my memories during my youth when I was a junior student. As I remembered about this junior high school, there was a back yard or inner court yard where most of the students were gathered around the place for break-out activities, having certain outdoor sport activities and park their bikes. The yard was only separated with high steel mesh fencing in line with small pedestrian outside.

I think this school's court yard is a memorable place for every student, a relieving place to have break-out underneath an old big tree in the middle of the place under the shadow of small forest's trees belong to Gunung Brintik as a background.

From Tugu Muda Monument point of views, possibly Gunung Brintik is the nearest, the greenest and the highest spot in the city. Some old big kapok trees look strongly visible and becomes a kind of green feature among the vegetation blanket that covers the hill that hide the kampong existence with dense community on the other side of the hill behind.

Pasar Kembang Kalisari, a green corridor in the middle of the city

Pasar Kembang Kalisari is a traditional flower market along Kalisari (Jl. Dr. Sutomo) main street. This market is situated about 100 meter from TuguMuda Monument. Pasar Kembang is actually a green corridor in the middle of the city, a green corridor that is formed under row of old tamarind trees.

Pasar Kembang Kalisari is approximately a half kilometers directly stretch-out along besidet he main street. The site is place directly across the tamarind trees pedestrian as a described in my previous article.

Various color of flowers, lush trees and green leaves always give everybody who pass the street a relieving and fresh ambience during hot days in Semarang.

Tamarind Trees at Kalisari Street

The old story said, Semarang name as a city is originated from two local words 'asem' and 'arang'. 'Asem' is local wording for Tamarind Tree and 'arang' is local wording for rare. Maybe, this is related with many of Tamarind Trees (Tamarindus Indicus) that could be found in many streets in Semarang, particularly along Kalisari street.

Kalisari street, at north-end side is directly facing to Lawang Sewu and Tugu Muda Monument, two major city landmarks. There is a street pedestrian across 'Pasar Kembang' (flower market) with old Tamarind Trees. Actually, now this row of Tamarind Trees are distracted with the existence of 'angsana' (Pterocarpus Indicus) trees.

This pedestrian is my walking route to go and return to my junior high school near Tugu Muda Monument from Kaligarang street near Kariadi General Hospital. There were a lot of tamarind fallen fruits could be found and collected during journey home from school.

Previously, I have calculated the number of Tamarind Trees at this pedestrian side and found about remaining twenty two trees still there at the pedestrian side across Kalisari flower market.......