Bandung's Central Post Office

This is the aerial view of the corner of Asia-Afrika and Banceuy streets. The big building in the foreground is Bandung's Central Post Office (Kantor Pos Besar Bandung). The tall building at the background is Pasar Baru (lit. New Market), one of Bandung's oldest and biggest markets.

Jalan Asia-Afrika

This is the aerial view of Jalan Asia-Afrika (Asia-Africa Street) to the east of Alun-Alun Bandung or Bandung's City Square. The street runs from west to east and is the main thoroughfare of the city. It is also part of the Grote Post Weg (The Great Postal Road) that was originally built by the Dutch East India Company (V.O.C.) - then the colonial ruler of the Indonesian archipelago - in the early 1800s. It is here that Bandung's kilometer zero is located - the location being determined by the pole that V.O.C. Governor W.H. Daendels is said to have stuck near the Cikapundung River when - upon inspecting the construction of the Grote Post Weg - he declared that he wanted to see a new city built in that very place when he returned.

Being the first proper street of the city, Jalan Asia-Afrika is very historic and has the most heritage landmarks. Among them are Gedung Merdeka (now the Museum of the Asia-Africa Conference) - the fourth building on your left - and the Preanger Hotel - the fourth building on your right.

The oldest steam roller?

This museum piece steam roller (steam-powered road roller) placed at the front yard of the West Java Provincial Office of Road Construction and Maintenance on Asia Afrika street could very well be one of the oldest steamroller in existence that is still intact outside the museum.

I have no information about the make or which year it was made (if any of you know, please let me know). But this steam roller is placed on the monument pedestal which marks Bandung Zero Kilometer and bears the following inscription:

N.W. DAENDELS, Governor General of the Dutch Indies (1808 - 1811) had one of his most important tasks given by his government, that was to build THE GREAT POST ROAD, DE GROOTE POSTWEG, stretching from Anyer (Banten) to Panarukan (East Java).

The main purpose of the construction of DE GROOTE POSTWEG was to intensify interprovincial communication in the frame of solidifying defense of the Island of Java.

When construction of the bride over the Cikapundung River was completed in 1810, on its inauguratin day, Governor General N.W. DAENDELS and the Regent of Bandung R.A.A. WIRANATAKUSUMAH II walked over it and reached this point. N.W. DAENDELS then struck a wooden rod into the ground while saying: "Zorg dat als igh terug kom nier een stad is geboud."

It means: "Make sure that when I return, a new city is built here."

At this particular point then people built a milestone signifying the Kilometer "0" (KILOMETER ZERO) point.

That moment twho hundered years ago when DAENDELS made the pronouncement is now considered to be the birthday of the city of Bandung.

Free Newspaper Read

Except for advertisement bulletins, there is no free newspaper in this city. But that doesn't mean you can't read newspapers for free. You can certainly read them for free at the libraries, hotels, office lobbies. But here, you can also read the newspaper on certain bulletin boards on Jalan Asia Afrika street. These bulletin boards are located on the side walk in front of Pikiran Rakyat newspaper office. And as you may have expected, the board only carries Pikiran Rakyat newspaper.

Published in Bandung since 1965 and circulates mainly in the Provinces of West Java, Banten, dan DKI Jakarta, Pikiran Rakyat (literally: People's Ideas/Thoughts) is a major newspaper in the country and the largest in West Java and Banten.

Street Painter

A street painter at Jalan Asia Afrika near Kantor Pos Besar Bandung (Bandung Main Post Office).