Bandung, City of Flowers, is the provincial capital of West Java and Indonesia' s third largest city. Known in colonial times as the Paris of Java because of its European ambiance and sophistication, Bandung shares with Miami a fine legacy of Tropical Deco architecture dating from the 1920's.

Situated on a plateau in the beautiful Parahayangan mountains, Bandung's pleasant climate and lush surroundings have offered an escape from the heat of the lowlands since the mid 19th century when it was the heart of the region's most prosperous plantation area. Host to the historic Asia Africa conference in 1955, Bandung is now a center of higher education ,commerce and aircraft industry which despite its modern amenities still retains much of its colonial era charm.

Bandung is also renowned for its shopping, particularly for shoes, textiles, clothing and denims which are found in the colourful Jeans street . Easily reached from Jakarta by train , road or air (the scenic train trip is recommended), Bandung, with its cool mountain air is a popular second stop for those visiting the national capital and an essential stay-over for travellers enroute through Java.

SIGHTSEEING

Bank of Indonesia Building
This Beautiful building is located at the edge of Braga street. You can see the elegance of this building in the past (1925) with the very big banyan tree on the side. There's no traffic on the street, just one horse-drawn buggy and one cart were passing by...

Biofarma Building
It is located at Pasteur Street. The photos were taken in 1920 (top) and 1999 (below). This building is well known as The Pasteur Institute.

Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) Building
This is the landmark of ITB campus. The architect of this building is Ir. H. Maclaine Pont(1919). This building is the combination between Indonesia traditional architecture style with modern west construction technique.

Villa Isola
This is the landmark of UPI campus. The beautiful building with interesting architecture.

Mesjid Raya Kaum Cipaganti
It is located at Cipaganti Street. This is the oldest big mosque in Bandung city. There is just a small difference in the shape of building between 1935 (left) and now (right).

Alun-alun (City Square)
Bandung City Square is located at Asia Afrika street, in the center of Bandung, and surrounding by Grand Mosque, Central Post Office, and The Government Office (in the past).

In the past, the Alun-alun Bandung has noisy night live, but a little bit quiet in the day. The activity was not busy like today because the number of citizen is still few.

Catholic Cathedral
This old catholic cathedral is located on the south east side of Balaikota (Merdeka Park). The photo in the left was taken in 1925.

Bethel Church
This is one of the oldest church in Bandung, located on the west side of Balaikota, not too far from the Cathedral. You can see the picture of the church in 1920's (above) and now (below).

Grand Mosque of Bandung
Grand Mosque (Mesjid Agung) is the biggest mosque in Bandung. It was built on the west of Alun-alun Bandung. Most of Bandung citizen are Moslem.

Asia Africa Street
The street divide Bandung city in two section; North of Bandung and South of Bandung. It was named after the Asia-Africa conference which was held in Bandung back in the 1950s. Asia Afrika street is the part of Grote Postweg. The Grote Postweg was constructed in 1808 (As order of Governor General Daendles) with more than 1,000 km long and connected the westernmost of Java Island, Anyer with the easternmost of Java Island, Panarukan.

Taman Cibeunying (Tjibeunjingplantsoen) Park
It is located at Cibeunying street, around Gedung Sate complex. This beautiful parks is stretch along a length. There is the footpath for pedestrian and the small river inside.

Taman Balaikota (Pieterspark)
This park is located at Merdeka street, in the center of Bandung city. The photos were taken from the same spot in 1931 (top) and 1999 (below). You can see the cathedral church in the background, the oldest church in the city.

Gedung Sate
Gedung Sate Complex was built in accordance with the idea to make Bandung as the capital city of East Indies in Dutch colonization period (1919). In the beginning, this complex was prepared as the center of Netherlands East Indies Government office. But in the end Bandung has never been the capital city of Indonesia.

This building looks very beautiful and strong, with the big construction and very shady complex around it.

It was built by architect Ir. J. Gerber (1921) with total cost 6 million gulden. This is the first building that constructed by reinforced concrete technology in Indonesia.

Taman Maluku (Molukkenpark)
It is located at the intersection Aceh Street and Maluku Street. There is a pond with the white lotus and the fountain in the middle of this park. This park has one guard, H.O. Verbraak (1835-1918) statue (right photo)

Ganeca Park (Ijzermanpark)
It is located at Ganeca Street, in the front of Bandung Instiute of Technology (ITB). This park has a pond with fountain also. In the upper section of the park, there is the half-circled platform.

Asia Africa Monument at Simpang Lima (five-way intersection)
This monument was made as the symbols of the brotherhood among Asia and Africa nations. The intersection connects Asia Afrika St., Gatot Subroto St., Ahmad Yani St., and Karapitan St.

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