Palaces: Bogor Palace

3.07.2015

Bogor Presidential Palace is located in Paledang, Sub District of Central Bogor Istana Kepresidenan BogorCity, Bogor, East Java. It is approximately 60 km from Jakarta or 43 km from Cipanas. The palace is situated on 28.86 acres level land. 290 meters above sea level, the palace is in a city blessed with mild climate, a cool city where people come to refresh themselves. The palace is blessed with beautiful and cozy natural surrounding. The garden of the palace is trimmed nicely it serves as a giant green carpet encircling the palace. All you can see is fresh green grasses shaded by 346 types of trees. 591 deers live around the garden, running here and there; and the ponds accentuated by lotuses and fountains enhance its beauty.
The history of Bogor Presidential Palace can be tracked down from the time when a Dutch Governor General was in a search of a resting house and managed to find a villa (10 August 1744) called Buitenzorg (free from problems). He himself redesigned and rebuilt the place (1745 â€“ 1750), imitating the architecture of Bleinhem Palace, the residence of Duke Malborough, located near Oxford, England.
A natural disaster struck on 10 October 1834. An earthquake brought a great destruction to the palace. When Governor General Albertus Yacob Duijmayer Van Twist ruled (1851 â€“ 1856), the ruin of the old building was torn down and then it was rebuilt, using the IX Century European architecture. In 1870, the Buitenzorg was announced as the official residence of Dutch Governor Generals. The last resident of the Buitenzorg Palace was Governor General Tjarda van Starkenborg Stachhourwer, who was forced to submit the palace to General Imamura from the Japan colonizers. However, not less than 44 Governor Generals lived in the palace. After the independence, the Indonesian Government took over the palace (1950).

The Main Building as a Presidential Office

The Presidential Palace, at the times of Dutch colonization, mainly functioned as a villa for the residents to relax, but after the independence, it has been functioning as a presidential office and official residence of the President of the Republic of Indonesia.
Consequently, the following historical events took place at Bogor Presidential Palace:

Five States Conference (28 â€“ 29 December 1954)
The signing of 11 March 1966 Letter of Order, well known as Supersemar
The discussion of conflict in Cambodia, Jakarta Informal Meeting (JIM)
APEC Summit (15 November 1994)

The components of Bogor Presidential Palace: the Main Building consists of Garuda Room as the function room; Teratai Room where guests are received; the Film Room where films are played; the President Office; the Library; the Living Room and Bedrooms; Holding Room for Ministers to wait before an event starts. The left wing of the Main Building consists of Panca Negara Room, which was once functioned as a place to prepare Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung; Bedrooms in the center part for the president and state guests and royal guests to spend the night. The right wing of the Main Building functions as the place for presidents from other countries and other state guests to spend the night. The left wing pavilion serves as the residential office of Bogor Presidential Palace while the right wing pavilion is used as the place for state officials and staff of state guests. In 1964, the palace was specifically used for a resting house for the president and his family, known as Dyah Bayurini.