Historic places in Jakarta

9 historic buildings, sites and memorials in Jakarta.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

SeeWest
Bank Indonesia Museum
Perhaps the best museum in the area as it displays the legacy of Indonesia (and a general overview of the world)'s monetary and economy history, with music and technology that works through your senses. Please differentiate with Bank Mandiri Museum, which only 30 meters from Fatahillah Museum, but inferior to Bank Indonesia Museum.
Tue-Sun 08:00-15:30Free for students who show their student IDs, groups who have registered and got confirmation from the BI Museum, and children up to 3 years old; for others Rp5,000
SeeWest
Diamond City Drawbridge
Jembatan Kota Intan
A Dutch style drawbridge that crosses a canal, situated near what was once the Diamond Fort.
SeeNorth
Galangan VOC
VOC Shipyard
Dating back to 1628, this is the former trade office and ship repair of the VOC (East Indies Trade Company) built by the Dutch. It is the center of the trade routes that stretched from Japan to Cape Town, from the Spice Islands to Persia. The place is now a restaurant, also called the VOC (Very Old Café), but maintains what's left of history.
DoCentral
Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex
This sports complex was built in 1960 for the 1962 Asian Games and underwent a major reconstruction for the 2018 Asian Games and Asian Para Games. It consists of Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, which is the home of the Indonesia national football team, a secondary stadium used for track and field events, and the Sports Palace (Istora Gelora Bung Karno or Istora Senayan), which is used for badminton and basketball as well as music concerts.
SeeCentral
Istiqlal Mosque
Masjid Istiqlal
Not far from Gambir Station and Monas is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. Designed by a Christian architect, the mosque was deliberately erected in front of an older cathedral by former president Soekarno to show religious harmony and diversity. The mosque is grand and gorgeous both inside and out, virtually every element was designed meticulously to reflect philosophical meanings of the Muslim world. Be sure to wear proper attire if you are going here for the day, or a sarong can be lent if you are wearing shorts. Get a guide to explore if you are on your own, but expect to pay a tip (arrange the amount before the tour) both to the guide and to the mosque.
24 hours daily. For non-Muslims, preferably not during prayer time (12:00, 15:30, 18:00)
SeeCentral
Jakarta Cathedral
The century-old neo-gothic church is the seat of the Jakarta Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church. After you admire the design inside and out, go to the 2nd floor for a museum.
SeeWest
Jakarta History Museum
Museum Fatahillah
The building was a city hall (Stadhuis) until 1710, and then an underground prison, and used as the provincial office before restored into its use today as Jakarta's History Museum in 1974. Start from the right entrance, the first room you'll encounter is the transportation mode Jakarta used, including carts. Next, the chronology begins with writing on the stones that tell the growth of the area from as early as the 5th century, then the Portuguese and the Dutch. The backyard has the famous Jagur cannon. Other highlights include the fusion of cultures from both in and out of Indonesia and the assimilation that shapes the local Betawi culture. The basement used to be a dark prison of torture.
Tue-Sun 09:00-15:00Adult Rp 15000, student Rp 3000, children Rp 2000
SeeCentral
Presidential Palace
Istana Merdeka
Along with the Negara Palace and others minor buildings, it forms the Presidential Palace complex. Built in 1796 as a mansion for a Dutch businessman, it became the centre of the Dutch administration during the 19th century, and the official residence of every single president. As of 2014, the Palace doesn’t seem to be open for public.
Sat Sun 09:00-16:00
SeeWest Not mapped
National Archives Building
Historic building that was used by Reynier de Klerk, Governor-General of VOC.
Mon-Fri 08:00-15:00

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Jakarta (CC BY-SA 4.0).