:: Bukit Tinggi - West Sumatra Travel Guides ::
Bukittinggi (Indonesian for
"high hill") is one of the larger cities in West
Sumatra, Indonesia, with a population of over 91,000
people and an area of 25.24 km². It is situated in the
Minangkabau highlands, 90 km by road from the West
Sumatran capital city of Padang. It is located at
0°18′20″S, 100°22′9″E, near the volcanoes Mount
Singgalang (inactive) and Mount Marapi (still active).
At 930 m above sea level, the city has a cool climate
with temperatures between 16.1°-24.9°C.
The city was known as Fort de Kock during colonial times
in reference to the Dutch outpost established here in
1825 during the Padri War. The fort was founded by
Captain Bauer at the top of Jirek hill and later named
after the then Lieutenant Governor-General of the Dutch
East Indies, Hendrik Merkus de Kock. The first road
connecting the region with the west coast was built
between 1833 and 1841 via the Anai Gorge, easing troop
movements, cutting the costs of transportation and
providing an economic stimulus for the agricultural
economy. In 1856 a teacher-training college (Kweekschool)
was founded in the city, the first in Sumatra, as part
of a policy to provide educational opportunities to the
indigenous population. A rail line connecting the city
with Payakumbuh and Padang was constructed between 1891
and 1894.
During the Japanese
occupation of Indonesia in World War II, the city was
the headquarters for the Japanese 25th Army, the force
which occupied Sumatra. The headquarters was moved to
the city in April 1943 from Singapore, and remained
until the Japanese surrender in August 1945.
During the Indonesian National Revolution, the city was
the headquarters for the Emergency Government of the
Republic of Indonesia (PDRI) from December 19, 1948 to
July 13, 1949. During the second 'Police Action' Dutch
forces invaded and occupied the city on December 22,
1948, having earlier bombed it in preparation. The city
was surrendered to Republican officials in December 1949
after the Dutch government recognized Indonesian
sovereignty.
The city was officially renamed Bukittinggi in 1949,
replacing its colonial name. From 1950 until 1957,
Bukittinggi was the capital city of a province called
Central Sumatra, which encompassed West Sumatra, Riau
and Jambi. In February 1958, during a revolt in Sumatra
against the Indonesian government, rebels proclaimed the
Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PRRI)
in Bukittinggi. The Indonesian government had recaptured
the town by May the same year.
Place to Visit:
It is a city popular with tourists due to the climate
and central location. Attractions within the city
include:
* Ngarai Sianok (Sianok Canyon)
* Lobang Jepang (Japanese Caves) - a network of
underground bunkers & tunnels built by the Japanese
during World War II
* Jam Gadang - a large clock tower built by the Dutch in
1926.
* Pasar Atas and Pasar Bawah markets
* Taman Bundo Kanduang park. The park includes a replica
Rumah Gadang (literally: big house, with the distinctive
Minangkabau roof architecture) used as a museum of
Minangkabau culture, and a zoo. The Dutch hilltop
outpost Fort de Kock is connected to the zoo by the
Limpapeh pedestrian overpass. Notable nearby
destinations include Lake Maninjau and the Harau Valley.
PLACE TO STAY IN BUKIT
TINGGI
01. Novotel Bukit Tinggi
Resort
02. Royal Denai Hotel
Jl. Dr.A. Rivai No. 26 Bukittinggi 2610
Ph: (0752) 32920
03. Pusako Hotel
Jl. Sukarno Hatta No.7, Bukittinggi
Ph: (0752) 22111
04. Beteng Hotel Ph: (0752) 21115
05. Marmay Hotel Jl. Kesehatan Ph: (0752) 23342
06. Hotel Bagindo Jl. Sudirman 45 Ph: (0752) 23100
07. The Singgalong Hotel Ph: (0752) 21576
08. Hotel Tropic Ph: (0752) 23207
09. Merdeka Homestay (0752) 21253
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