Senen
Encyclopedia
Senen is one of the historic subdistrict
Subdistricts of Indonesia
In Indonesia, a kecamatan or district is a subdivision of a regency or of a city . A district is itself divided into kelurahan or administrative villages....

 of Central Jakarta
Central Jakarta
Central Jakarta is one of the five cities which form Jakarta, Indonesia. It had 898,883 inhabitants at the 2010 Census.Central Jakarta is the smallest in area and population of the five cities of Jakarta. It is the administrative and political center of Jakarta and Indonesia...

, Indonesia. Its close proximity with the some of the historic center of Jakarta: Merdeka Square
Merdeka Square, Jakarta
Merdeka Square is a large square located in the center of Jakarta, Indonesia. The square is surrounded by important government buildings such as the Merdeka Palace, the Supreme Court and various governmental ministries. At its center stands the National Monument...

 (formerly the Koningsplein
Gambir
Gambir is a subdistrict of Central Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is characterized by many historic buildings from the colonial era. Gambir Subdistrict is the location of many political and administrative center of Jakarta and Indonesia...

) and Lapangan Banteng (formerly the Waterloo Square) means that this area is one of the historic area in Jakarta. Some of the important landmarks of Senen Subdistrict are the Museum of Indonesian National Awakening
Indonesian National Awakening
The Indonesian National Awakening is a term for the period in the first half of the twentieth century, during which people from many parts of the archipelago first began to develop a national consciousness as "Indonesians"....

 (formerly the STOVIA medical school) and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Indonesia
University of Indonesia
The Universitas Indonesia, is a state, comprehensive world class university located in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. Universitas Indonesia is the oldest tertiary-level educational institution in Indonesia...

.

Senen subdistrict is roughly bounded by a railway line to the east and Ciliwung River
Ciliwung River
Ciliwung is a river that passes through Jakarta, Indonesia. The river flows from its source near Puncak on the highlands of West Java to the Jakarta Bay....

 to the west. The area is mainly served by Senen railway station
Pasar Senen Station
Pasar Senen Station is a station located in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is the second largest train station in Jakarta after Gambir Station. It is located close to Pasar Senen market area in Senen Subdistrict, Central Jakarta....

 and Senen bus terminal. Some of the important road of the area are Kramat Raya Road (the main road that formerly link Jakarta with Jatinegara) and Senen Raya Road (the focal point of Senen market).

History

The historic area of Senen is mainly concentrated on the Senen administrative village. Senen was developed in 1733 by Dutch entrepreneur Justinus Vinck, after the Dutch government built the new town, Weltevreden, in south of Batavia. Besides Senen market in the east, Vinck also built Tanah Abang market in the west. The two markets are linked by Kwitang street and Kebon Sirih street.

On 19 November 1919, the government built CBZ (Centrale Burgelijke Ziekenhuis) in Salemba, southern area of Senen Subdistrict, which was re-named Cipto Mangunkusumo Central Hospital following the nation's independence.

During the 1960s and 1970s, many artists and poets started their career in Planet Senen youth center, among them were Benyamin Sueb
Benyamin Sueb
Benyamin Sueb was an Indonesian comedian, actor, and singer. He released 46 studio albums and starred in more than 50 films. He received two Citra Awards for Intan Berduri in 1973 and Si Doel Anak Modern in 1975.-Early life:Benyamin was born in Kemayoran, Batavia, on 5 March 1939...

, Bing Slamet
Bing Slamet
Ahmad Syech Albar, better known by his stage name Bing Slamet, was an Indonesian singer, songwriter, comedian, and actor. During his career, he acted in 17 films and released "dozens" of albums. Shortly before his death, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Governor of Jakarta...

, and Misbach Yusa Biran. On 15 January 1974, students demonstrated against the government’s policy regarding the role of foreign investment in Indonesia. In front of Senen market, the demonstration somehow led to a riot—later known as the Malari incident
Malari incident
The Malari incident was a student demonstration and riot that happened from 15 to 16 January 1974. In reaction to a state visit by Japan Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, students held a demonstration protesting corruption, high prices, and inequality in foreign investments...

.

Trade center

Today, Senen market (located in ) is one of six Jakarta trade centers, together with Glodok
Glodok
Glodok is a part of the Jakarta, Indonesia. The area is also known as Pecinan or Chinatown since the Dutch colonial era, and is considered the biggest in Indonesia, as a majority of the traders in Glodok are of Chinese descent...

, Mangga Dua, Jatinegara
Jatinegara
Jatinegara is a subdistrict of East Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. The boundaries of Jatinegara are Bekasi Barat Raya - Bekasi Timur Raya - I...

, Tanah Abang, Pasar Baru and Blok M
Blok M
Blok M is a business and shopping quarter located in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, Indonesia. It runs east from Iskandarsyah street to Bulungan street in the west. North from Falatehan street to Melawai street in the south. The development is less modern than some of the developments near Kota,...

. In 1970, Ali Sadikin
Ali Sadikin
Ali Sadikin was an Indonesian politician. He was often called Bang Ali. He served as the governor of Jakarta, the country's capital, from 1966 to 1977. Appointed by a weak Sukarno, he likely had the full approval of Suharto. A former marine, he saw the city as a battlefield...

, the governor of Jakarta at that time, built Proyek Senen. Along Kramat Raya street, vendors of Minangkabau descent can be seen selling a variety of Minangkabau cuisine. Along Kwitang street lies Jakarta's largest book market.

In 1990, the government built a modern shopping center, the Atrium superbloc which before 1997 Asian financial crisis hosted the international brand of Yaohan
Yaohan
Yaohan was a Japanese retail group. The company was founded in 1930 by Kazuo Wada . Initially a single shop, it later expanded into a major supermarket chain after the Second World War with most retail outlets located in Shizuoka prefecture, south of Tokyo. It was listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange...

 and Mark & Spencer as its anchor tenant.

Planet Senen Youth Center

Planet Senen Youth Center is located next to Pasar Senen station and across Senen bus terminal. The place was once a meeting place for young poets and artists in the 1960s. The center was inaugurated by the then governor Ali Sadikin on 27 August 1974, as part of his efforts to improve the area's condition that is known for its high crime rate and prostitution. It was named "Planet Senen" because during the time of its construction, there were many round buildings in the area. Today the center has a theater and an indoor sports facility.

Historian Alwi Shahab said the Senen prostitutes were later moved to Kramat Tunggak, North Jakarta, by governor Ali Sadikin.

Later in 1970s, Planet Center popularity began to fade as most poets and artists started to go to arts center Taman Ismail Marzuki
Taman Ismail Marzuki
Pusat Kesenian Jakarta Taman Ismail Marzuki or popularly known as Taman Ismail Marzuki is an art and cultural center located in jalan Cikini Raya 73, Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Also within this complex stood Jakarta Art Institute and Jakarta Planetarium...

 (TIM) on Jl. Cikini Raya, located to the west on the Subdistrict of Menteng
Menteng
Menteng is a subdistrict of Central Jakarta, one of the administrative city which forms the special capital territory of Jakarta, Indonesia.The subdistrict is best known as the location of the Menteng residential area, a new urban design developed in the 1910s to become a residential area for Dutch...

.

In 2005, the city administration planned to revitalize the whole Senen commercial area, including the bus terminal and station. However, the revitalization plan has not begun.

Kelurahan (administrative village)

The subdistrict of Senen is divided into six administrative villages (kelurahan):
  • Senen – area code 10410
  • Kwitang – area code 10420
The location of the Kwitang book market.
  • Kenari – area code 10430
The southernmost area of Senen Subdistrict and the location of the University of Indonesia
University of Indonesia
The Universitas Indonesia, is a state, comprehensive world class university located in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. Universitas Indonesia is the oldest tertiary-level educational institution in Indonesia...

 and Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.
  • Paseban
    Paseban
    Paseban is administrative village at Senen subdistrict, Central Jakarta. The border of Paseban are :* Kramat administrative village in the north* Kenari administrative village in the west...

     – area code 10440
  • Kramat – area code 10450
  • Bungur – area code 10460

List of important places

  • Cipto Mangunkusumo Central Hospital
  • Faculty of Medicine of the University of Indonesia
    University of Indonesia
    The Universitas Indonesia, is a state, comprehensive world class university located in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. Universitas Indonesia is the oldest tertiary-level educational institution in Indonesia...

  • Museum of Indonesian National Awakening
    Indonesian National Awakening
    The Indonesian National Awakening is a term for the period in the first half of the twentieth century, during which people from many parts of the archipelago first began to develop a national consciousness as "Indonesians"....

     (formerly the STOVIA medical school)
  • National Library of Indonesia
  • Pasar Senen Station
    Pasar Senen Station
    Pasar Senen Station is a station located in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is the second largest train station in Jakarta after Gambir Station. It is located close to Pasar Senen market area in Senen Subdistrict, Central Jakarta....

  • Planet Senen Youth Center
  • Senen Shopping Centre (consists of Pasar Senen ("Senen market") and Plaza Atrium Senen)
  • St. Carolus Hospital, Paseban administrative village
  • Sumpah Pemuda
    Sumpah Pemuda
    The Youth Pledge , was a declaration made on 28 October 1928 by young Indonesian nationalists at a conference in the then-Dutch East Indies. They proclaimed three ideals, one motherland, one nation and one language.-Background:...

    Museum
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