Description of the attraction
The Merdeka Palace is located in Central Jakarta. Central Jakarta is one of five municipalities that make up Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. It is worth noting that Jakarta is a municipality with capital status and is governed by a governor. And in the smallest municipality - Central Jakarta - most of the administrative institutions of Jakarta are located. This municipality is also famous for its large parks and beautiful architectural monuments, to which the Merdeka Palace belongs.
The palace is located on Merdeka Square. In Indonesian, the square is called Medan Merdeka (Freedom Square). It is worth mentioning that Merdeka Square is the largest square in the country. Near the palace, in the middle of Merdeka Square, is the National Monument - a 132-meter-high tower.
When Indonesia was a colony of the Netherlands, the Merdeka Palace housed the residence of the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. In 1949, the palace was renamed and became known as the Merdeka Palace, that is, the Palace of Freedom. The palace, together with other buildings, form the presidential complex, which includes the buildings of some government departments, such as the state secretariat and others.
The palace was built in the neoclassical style; the building is decorated with Doric columns, which were quite popular in European architecture at the time when the palace was being built. At the very beginning, the palace was two-story. In 1848, the second floor was removed and the first was expanded. In 1873 the palace was reconstructed and the building has not changed since then. Today, the palace hosts official events such as the Independence Day ceremony, when the national flag is raised on 17 August. In addition, the palace hosts important guests and ambassadors of other states; national and international congresses are often held here.
