Trans Studio Mall Glass Pyramid

The glass pyramid roof of the Trans Studio Mall (TSM), Bandung.

TSM, previously called Bandung Supermal, was constructed in 2001 and is claimed to be the largest mall in Bandung. In 2010, the mall was acquired and redeveloped by City Corp., and renamed Trans Studio Mall (TSM) in 2011.

The mall now has an indoor theme park called Trans Studio Bandung. This theme park is claimed to be the largest in Indonesia. In addition to a theme park, the current owner has also had a five-star hotel built adjacent to it.

With such facilities, TSM has now become one of Bandung's major and most popular tourism attractions.

Aerial View of Bandung: Southwest of The Grand Mosque

Here is an aerial view of Bandung looking to the southwest direction from the city center. I took this photo from one of the towers of West Java Provincial Grand Mosque or Mesjid Agung Propinsi Jawa Barat. In the foreground, behind the minaret, you can see Plaza Parahiyangan, one of the first shopping malls built in the city in the early 1980's.

Gedung Pakuan

This is Gedung Pakuan (lit. Pakuan Building or Mansion) on Jalan L.R.E. Martadinata No.1.

Gedung Pakuan is the official residence of the Governor of West Java Province. It was built in 1864 upon the order Van der Moore (then residen or governor of Priangan) when he decided to move the capital of Priangan from Cianjur to Bandung.

This piece Indische Empire Stijl (Indian Emperial Style) architeture was said to be designed by the head engineer of Departement van Burgerlijke Openbare Werken (Department of Public Works). Unfortunately, of all the books I've read about it, none mentioned the name of the person.

Gedung Pakuan is considered to be one of the most important pieces of Bandung's architectural heritage and, being the official residence of the governor of West Java, one of the best preserved.

Many head of states and important public figures have stayed in this mansion. The list includes the King of Siam (Thailand) Somdet Phra Paramendr Maha Chulalonkorn (1901), the Prime Minister of France Georgeos Clemenceau (1921), Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (1971), the President of Yugoslavia Josip Bros Tito, the Soviet Union's President Voroshilov, The United States' Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and even Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford.