Here are 8 stories about the Bundaran HI statue!
Photo by Eko Herwantoro on Unsplash
You may frequently have seen this monument of a couple waving their hands in the north direction. This monument was built right above the Bundaran HI fountain. Surrounded by 4 well-known five-star hotels (Grand Hyatt Hotel, Pullman Hotel, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and Kempinski Hotel) and is located at the intersection of Jl. Sudirman, Jl.Thamrin, Jl. Imam Bonjol, Jl. Sutan Syahrir, and Jl. Kebon Kacang. Besides Monas, this monument is also Jakarta’s city icon. Here are 8 facts you should know about this monument!
Photo by dapiki moto on Unsplash
- This monument was built by the initiation of President Soekarno on August 17th, 1961 for welcoming Sea Games IV held in Indonesia.
- Henk Ngantung (Jakarta’s Vice Governor at that era) also contributed to designing this monument with Edhi Sunarso, the well-known sculptor in Indonesia.
- This monument is also called Selamat Datang Monument (Selamat Datang is Indonesian for “Welcome”)
- Patung ini menghadap ke arah Utara untuk menyambut para tamu negara dan orang-orang yang datang dari arah Monas menuju selatan Jakarta.
- Patung Selamat Datang is facing north to welcome the honored national guest and people who come from Monas to the south area of Jakarta.
- On the other hand, this icon symbolized a farewell for those who want to leave Jakarta and go back to the north direction of Kemayoran Airport.
Photo by Rifki Kurniawan on Unsplash
- It is made from bronze and has 5 meters in height from head to toe, 7 meters of height from the toe to the tip of the waving hands, and 10 meters high of the pile.
- This Jakarta icon is also surrounded by five fountain formations, symbolizing Pancasila, the ideology of the Indonesian Republic.
- The monument is also a symbol of greetings to Jakarta as the capital city and the Metropolitan City of Indonesia, for Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, Good Night, and Happy Sunday. The Jakarta people also call this monument as Jali-Jali Monument.