Garut
Encyclopedia
Garut is a town in the West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...

 province of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

 and is the capital of the Garut Regency
Garut Regency
Garut is a Regency in the West Java province of Indonesia. Garut Regency Its area is 3,065.19 km² . Geographically, it lies between 6°57′34″ – 7°44′57″ South latitude and 107°24′34″ – 108°7′34″ East longitude.-Adjacent regencies:It is...

. It is located about 75 km to the southeast of the major city of Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...

.

History

The modern history of Garut started on March 2, 1811 when Balubur Limbangan Regency was dissolved by Governor General Herman W. Daendels (Dutch Colonial
Dutch Colonial
Dutch Colonial is a style of domestic architecture, primarily characterized by gambrel roofs having curved eaves along the length of the house...

). The reason was that the production of coffee from the area had decreased and the Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...

, Tumenggung Wangsakusumah II refused a command to plant indigo. Balubur Limbangan Regency comprised 6 sub-districts: Balubur, Malangbong, Wanaraja, Wanakerta, Cibeureum and Papandak.

The Limbangan Regency, which has now become the Garut Regency
Garut Regency
Garut is a Regency in the West Java province of Indonesia. Garut Regency Its area is 3,065.19 km² . Geographically, it lies between 6°57′34″ – 7°44′57″ South latitude and 107°24′34″ – 108°7′34″ East longitude.-Adjacent regencies:It is...

, was founded by Lt Gov Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles on 16 February 1813. RAA. Adiwijaya, who governed from the 1813 until 1821, was the first Regent of the Garut Regency
Garut Regency
Garut is a Regency in the West Java province of Indonesia. Garut Regency Its area is 3,065.19 km² . Geographically, it lies between 6°57′34″ – 7°44′57″ South latitude and 107°24′34″ – 108°7′34″ East longitude.-Adjacent regencies:It is...

. He was well known as Dalem Cipeujueh. The town of Suci was originally the capital of the new Limbangan Regency. However it was thought that Suci did not meet the requirements of a capital because of the area was crowded and quite narrow.

Regarding this matter, Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...

 Limbangan Adipati Adiwijaya formed a committee to find a suitable place for the capital of the Regency. In the beginning, the committee found Cimurah, about 3 km to the East Suci (currently the village is known by the name of Pidayeuheun Village). However, in this place clean water was difficult to obtain so the place not regarded as suitable to become the capital. The committee then decided that a suitable place was about 5 Km to west of Suci. In addition to fertile land, the place has a spring that flows to the River Cimanuk and beautiful scenery, surrounded by mountains, like Mount Cikuray, Mount Papandayan
Mount Papandayan
Mount Papandayan is a complex stratovolcano, located in Garut Regency, to the southeast of the city of Bandung in West Java, Indonesia. It is about 15 km to the southwest of the town of Garut. At the summit, there are four large craters which contain active fumarole fields...

, Mount Guntur
Mount Guntur
Mount Guntur or Gunung Guntur is an active stratovolcano in western Java. It is part of a complex of several overlapping stratovolcanoes about northwest of the city of Garut. The last eruption was in 1847. At an elevation of , Mount Guntur rises about above the plain of Garut...

, Mount Galunggung, Mount Talaga Bodas, Kandangwesi
Kandangwesi
Kandangwesi is the name of an ancient royal heritage area located in southern Garut Kandangwesi include Bungbulang district, Pakenjeng district, Pamulihan district, Caringin district, Mekarmukti district, Cisewu district, Talegong district and Selaawi district....

 and Mount Karacak.
When the site was was first found, there was a spring nearby that was said to have been surrounded by a small pond closed off by thorny scrub. According to local stories, one person in the group had his hands badly scratched by the thorns. A European in the team asked about the bleeding and was told that the problem was "kakarut!" The answer was misheard by the European visitor as "gagarut" rather than "kakarut". Team members of the committee thus named the thorny plant "Ki Garut" and the pond was named "Ci Garut" (the location of this pond now was occupied by SLTPI, SLTPII, and SLTP IV Garut buildings). The area around the pond was named "Garut". The name of "Garut" was approved by Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...

 Limbangan Adipati Adiwijaya to be made the Capital of the Limbangan Regency.

On 15 September 1813 the development of capital facilities and infrastructure, such as residence, the hall, office assistant resident, mosques, and square was started. In front of the hall, between the town square and the hall was gotten by "Babancong" where the Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...

 as well as the official of the other government gave the speech in front of the public. After the place was completed earlier, the Capital of the Limbangan Regency moved from Suci to Garut around 1821. Based on the Governor General Decree No: 60 dated May 7, 1913, the name of the Limbangan Regency was replaced to the Garut Regency
Garut Regency
Garut is a Regency in the West Java province of Indonesia. Garut Regency Its area is 3,065.19 km² . Geographically, it lies between 6°57′34″ – 7°44′57″ South latitude and 107°24′34″ – 108°7′34″ East longitude.-Adjacent regencies:It is...

 and had a capital the Garut city on July 1, 1913. At that time, the Regent was RAA is Wiratanudatar (1871–1915). Garut city at that time covering the three villages, namely Kota Kulon (West City) village, the Kota Wetan (East City) Village, and Margawati Village. The Garut Regency
Garut Regency
Garut is a Regency in the West Java province of Indonesia. Garut Regency Its area is 3,065.19 km² . Geographically, it lies between 6°57′34″ – 7°44′57″ South latitude and 107°24′34″ – 108°7′34″ East longitude.-Adjacent regencies:It is...

 covered Garut districts, Bayongbong, Cibatu, Tarogong, Leles
Leles
Leles is a village and municipality in the Trebišov District in the Košice Region of eastern Slovakia....

, Balubur Limbangan, Cikajang, Pakenjeng, Bungbulang and Pameungpeuk. In the year 1915, RAA Wiratanudatar replaced by his nephew of Adipati Suria Karta Legawa (1915–1929). On August 14, 1925, a decision based on the Governor General, Garut Regency
Garut Regency
Garut is a Regency in the West Java province of Indonesia. Garut Regency Its area is 3,065.19 km² . Geographically, it lies between 6°57′34″ – 7°44′57″ South latitude and 107°24′34″ – 108°7′34″ East longitude.-Adjacent regencies:It is...

 government passed a stand-alone (autonomous).

Tourism and Incidents

Garut was well known before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, being a hill station for the Dutch elite of the region. The legendary film star Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...

 is said to have visited Garut twice. He is reported to have visited in 1927 and 1935, staying at the Grand Hotel Ngamplang in Ciwalu region, a hilly resort around 3.4 kilometers from the city center.

More recently, Garut is a centre of tourism in the region south of Bandung for hiking, hot spas, nearby lakes and villages, and so on.

The Kamojang crater
Kamojang
Kamojang, popularly known as Kawah Kamojang or , is a geothermal field and tourist spot in West Java, Indonesia. The crater is located approximately 45 km to the southeast of Bandung through the town of Majalaya...

, a geothermal field and tourist spot, is located on the slopes of Mount Guntur approximately 25km to the northwest of Garut.

Volcanoes

Garut is in a valley surrounded by various volcanoes. The most well known is Mount Galunggung
Galunggung
Mount Galunggung is an active stratovolcano in West Java, Indonesia, around 80 km southeast of the West Java provincial capital, Bandung...

 which experienced a major eruption in 1982. Following the eruption, over 60 people died and much damage was done to the agricultural sector and infrastructure in the region. Other nearby volcanoes are Mount Talagabodas
Talagabodas
Talagabodas or Telagabodas is a stratovolcano in West Java, Indonesia. The volcano is about 25 km to the east of the town of Garut and is built up of andesitic lavas and pyroclastics. Fumaroles, mud pots and hot springs are found around the crater lake...

 (around 2,200 meters), Mount Guntur
Mount Guntur
Mount Guntur or Gunung Guntur is an active stratovolcano in western Java. It is part of a complex of several overlapping stratovolcanoes about northwest of the city of Garut. The last eruption was in 1847. At an elevation of , Mount Guntur rises about above the plain of Garut...

 (around 2,250 meters), and Mount Cikurai (over 2,800 meters).

Beaches

At the south of Garut there are more than 10 beaches. The most well known beaches are Santolo Beach at Cikelet district and Sayang Heulang Beach, the others are Cilauteureun, Rancabuaya, Taman Manalusu, Cijayana, Karang Paranje, Sancang, Gunung Geder, Pantai Cijeruk Indah, Karang Tepas or Sodong parat. They are located 94 kilometers from Garut and spread along 72 kilometers of south coast. Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn
Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn
Friedrich Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn , was a German botanist. His father, Friedrich Junghuhn was a barber and a surgeon. His mother was Christine Marie Schiele. Junghuhn studied medicine in Halle and in Berlin from 1827 to 1831, meanwhile publishing a seminal paper on mushrooms in Limnaea...

 in the colonial era plotted the beaches. Now, since 2006 Gunung Geder Beach is boosted by the Indonesian government to be a new tourist site. Gunung Geder Beach with 7 kilometers of beach has white sand near the sea and brownish sand far the sea. Some people said that Gunung Geder beach is more beautiful than Kuta Beach in Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...

. Alternative route besides through Garut is through Ciwidey and Rancabali.
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