President Joko Widodo Explores Historical Building of A.A Maramis
- Setkab.go.id
VIVA – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) attended the National Working Meeting of the Environmental Fund Management Agency (BPDLH) held at one of the historical buildings in Jakarta, A. A. Maramis Building, Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, December 21, 2022.
Before officially opening the event, President Joko Widodo received an explanation about the history of the building from the coordinating minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance, Heru Pambudi.
The A. A. Maramis Building began to build in March 1809 and was completed in 1828. Initially, this building was a place for the Governor of the Dutch East Indies, Herman Willem Daendels. At that time, Daendels moved the center of government from Oud Batavia at the Ciliwung River to the new capital center area, New Batavia in Weltevreden.
"Mr. President, this building has just been renovated by the Minister of Finance and the building that was built in 1809 and (completed) in 1828 has also moved the capital city, from Old City to Weltevreden," Airlangga Hartarto explained.
The spatial concept of Weltevreden uses a concentric pattern where the center of the area is surrounded by supporting areas consisting of Banteng Field, Ministry of Finance Building, Hooggerechshof (Jusuf Anwar Building), Prince Frederick Citadel (now Istiqlal Mosque), Great Palace of Weltevreden (RSPAD), Kimia Farma Building, Cathedral Church, and Jakarta Arts Building.
In 1836, the Department van Financien was established and housed in Daendels' Palace. The Department van Financien building was used for daily financial activities and was handed over to the Ministry of Finance in 1950. To honor the services of A. A. Maramis, in 2008 the Department van Financien Building or Daendels Building was named A. A. Maramis Building.
Previously, the condition of this building looked very damaged until finally in November 2019, the A. A. Maramis Building was revitalized and completed in December 2022.
The revitalization process was carried out strictly and followed the rules of conservation of cultural heritage objects. The work carried out includes strengthening the building structure, conserving the architecture, interior, mechanical-electrical-plumbing (MEP), special lighting, and landscaping the A. A. Maramis Building area.
After being updated, the A. A. Maramis Building will be utilized as a facility for the State Finance Museum and Library. Aside from being a cultural heritage, the A. A. Maramis Building will also function as a place for state banquets, meeting rooms, educational facilities, and so on.
The A. A. Maramis Building is also planned to be integrated with the Banteng Field Park area, Istiqlal Mosque, Cathedral, Jakarta Arts Building, and Pasar Baru as a unified heritage tourism area.
After the BPDLH National Meeting, President Jokowi explores the building and continued to take pictures with the ministers and governors who were present in the front yard of the A. A. Maramis Building.
