Bukittinggi city began to stand in line with the
arrival of the Dutch who later founded the fort in 1825 during the Padri War in
one of the hill contained in this town, known as the fortress Fort de Kock, as
well as a resting place for the Dutch officers who were in area towns. Later in the reign of the Dutch
East Indies, this area always increased role in state
administration which later developed into a Stadsgemeente (city), and also
served as the capital Afdeeling Padangsche Bovenlanden and Onderafdeeling Oud
Agam.
During the Japanese occupation, the town of Bukittinggi used as
a control center for the region of Sumatra military government, even to
Singapore and Thailand, where the city became the seat of the military
commander to 25 Kenpeitai, under the command of Major General Hirano Toyoji.
Later town
changed its name from Fort de Kock Stadsgemeente be Bukittinggi The Yaku Sho,
whose land extended to include village-like surrounding villages Sianok Anam
Tribe, Gadut, Kapau, Ampang Tower, Bukit Batu Taba and Batabuah. Now
the village-the village into the Agam regency.
After the independence of Indonesia, was elected Bukittinggi
Sumatra's provincial capital, with its governor Mr. Teuku
Muhammad Hasan. Then Bukittinggi is also defined as an area of city
government based on the assessment of Sumatra Province Governor No. 391 dated
June 9, 1947.
At times defend the independence of Indonesia,
the City Bukitinggi role as the city struggles, where on 19 December 1948, the
city is designated as the capital city of Indonesia
after the Yogyakarta fall into the hands of
the Dutch or known by the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia
(PDRI). Later
on, the event was designated a State-Defense Day, according to the Republic of
Indonesia Presidential Decree No. 28 of 2006 dated December 18, 2006.
***
TRANSPORTATION
Bukittinggi is connected to Padang by road, though a dysfunctional
railway line also exists. For inner-city transport, Bukittinggi employs a
public transportation system known as IKABE that connect locations within the
city. The city also still preserves the traditional horse-cart widely known in
the area as Bendi,
although the use is limited and more popular to be used as vehicle for tourist,
both domestic and foreign.
TOURISM
It is a city popular with tourists
due to the climate and central location. Attractions within the city include:
Ngarai
Sianok (SianokCanyon)
Lobang
Jepang (JapaneseCaves)
- a
network of underground bunkers & tunnels built by the Japanese
during World
War II
Jam
Gadang (Big Beng) - a large clock tower built by the Dutch in 1926.
Pasar Atas
and Pasar Bawah -
traditional markets in downtown.
Taman
Bundo Kanduang park. The
park includes a replica Rumah GAdang
(literally: big house, with the distinctive Minangkabau roof
architecture) used
as a museum of
Minangkabau
culture, and a zoo. The Dutch hilltop outpost Fort de Kock is connected
to the
zoo by the pedestrian overpass.
Museum
Rumah Kelahiran Bung Hatta
(Museum of Bung Hatta Birthplace)
- the house where Indonesian founding father Mohammad Hatta was born,
now a
museum.
Notable nearby destinations include LakeManinjau
and the HarauValley.
