Lapangan Banteng, an old square at the heart of Jakarta

-->

The area of Lapangan Banteng is located at Central Jakarta about 2 kilometers eastward of Monas.  Being the bus terminal for years, today this square measuring by 4.5 hectares functions as green open space.

In the colonial era, it was called Waterloo Plein. In 1963 after West Irian became the part of Indonesia, the government constructed a monument called West Irian Liberation Monument right in the middle of the square.

To the east of the area, we can see the old buildings of the Ministry of Finance, which was built by Governor General Daendles in 1809 and then became the center of the Dutch colonial government. He was famous with his big project of the road construction over Java from Anyer, the western part of Java to Penarukan village in the eastern part of Java, covering the distance of 1,000 km.

To the southwest corner of the square, we can see the Gothic-style cathedral facing the relatively new building of Istiqlal Mosque to the south symbolizing the religious harmony. Southward to the cathedral is the Religious Ministry Building demonstrating that Indonesia is the [only] country which concerns to religious affairs. Further, in the south, we can find the Ministry of Foreign Affair.    

In 1993, the government transformed Lapangan Banteng to become a green open space which previously was intercity bus terminal. The local government holds annually flora or fauna exhibitions and occasionally social gathering and martial-art training.