news, videos, photos.
Sven Verbeek Wolthuys regularly posts about Jakarta’s history on social media. Forgotten pictures, stories and videos of a bygone city. Updates will appear first on the Lost Jakarta website. Here you will also find bonus material (audio and video) from the book 250 YEARS IN OLD JAKARTA.
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scroll down to view our blog of historic Jakarta stories, pictures and videos
Jalan Menteng Raya 27 now and then
Jalan Menteng Raya 27 in 1940 (above) and 2020 (under) The shape of this characteristic building on today's Jalan Menteng Raya is still very much recognisable, but an experienced eye will notice some alterations, most noticeably the removal of the lovely balcony on...
Jalan Menteng Raya now and then
Jalan Menteng Raya 11-13 in 1941 (above) and 2020 (under) A little gem in today's Jakarta is Jalan Menteng Raya, in colonial days just known as Menteng or Oud Menteng (Old Menteng). The percentage of heritage buildings that is still present today along this road is...
Jalan Veteran 1 1948
Road workers on Citadelweg /Jalan Veteran 1 in 1948 The condition of most asphalted streets in Batavia/Djakarta after World War II was of a bad condition. During the years of war the Japanese did not invest in maintaining public buildings and streets in the city. Most...
NILLMIJ documentary Kompas TV
https://youtu.be/XVHZgcsqcXg Sven Verbeek Wolthuys of Lost Jakarta featuring in Kompas TV documentary about NILLMIJ An interesting documentary about the history of insurance companies in Indonesia on Kompas TV this week. Featuring Sven Verbeek Wolthuys of Lost Jakarta...
Jalan Menteng Raya 1927
Car dealer and showroom Verwey & Lugard, 1927 Fuchs & Rens was probably the most well-known car dealer in colonial Jakarta, however Verwey & Lugard were close behind. In 1927 they occupied this characterful building at number 29 on the road that was then...
Demolition Amsterdam Gate 1950
The Amsterdam Gate in the 1930s (left) and during the demolition in 1950 (right) In the early morning hours of Friday 15 December 1950 men with sledgehammers arrived at Jalan Cengkeh (the former Prinsenstraat) to start demolishing the "Amsterdamse Poort" (Amsterdam...
Olislaeger Jewellers 1971
The front facade of Olieslaeger Jewellers on Jalan Juanda 11, 1971 The first jewellery store in Indonesia, established in 1850, did still exist in 1971. We look at the shopfront along Jalan Juanda 11 (formerly Noordwijk 11) where it was based since 1934. On 10 April...
Jalan Veteran 1947
The temporary post office at Rijswijk (Jalan Veteran), 1947 Former Batavia/Jakarta residents will immediately recognise this characteristic building as the well-known boutique clothing store of August Savelkoul along Rijswijk 8 (now Jalan Veteran). However in February...
Taking the train to Tanah Abang 1940s
An original train ticket from Parung Panjang to Tanah Abang, 1940s We have obtained a rare train ticket for the trip from Pandjang (or Paroeng Pandjang, now Parung Panjang in West Java) to Tanah Abang in Batavia/Jakarta. It is not known from what year exactly but...
First aerial view of Jakarta 1924
Aerial view of Noordwijk and Rijswijk, 1924 One of the first aerial photographs of Jakarta, taken on 24 November 1924, moments before the first plane ever touched down in Indonesia. Jan Thomassen à Thuessink van der Hoop (1893-1969) was captain of a Fokker F.VIII...
Jalan Wahid Hasyim 1971
This road between Jalan Thamrin and Pasar Tanah Abang in Jakarta is officially part of the subdistrict Tanah Abang and has had many names over the years. Around 1800 it was called "Weg van Weltevreede naar Tanna Abang" (road from Weltevreden to Tanah Abang). It...
Harmonieplein – Taman Harmoni 1935
Aerial view of Harmonieplein in 1935 A rare aerial view of the plain in front of society De Harmonie, taken by a KNILM airplane in 1935. De Harmonie itself is not visible, but a few other historic Jakarta icons of the past are. On the top and top right the complex and...
Banjir Tanah Abang 1872
Floods on Tanah Abang West (Jalan Abdul Muis), 1872 The floods of 1872 were one of the most destructive in Batavia/Jakarta. The Ciliwung River had swollen so much that even opening of the sluice gates proved insufficient. The river followed the original loop and...
Demolition Pasar Tanah Abang 1973
Demolition of the 1927 market building in Tanah Abang, 1973 By the early 1970s the largest textile market of Indonesia was still housed in a single storey building that dated back to 1927. The market was too small and many sellers used the surrounding streets to set...
Jakarta 1964
A rare glimpse of Indonesia's capital. JAKARTA 1964, seen from a taxi window and a hotel room. The video shows a city in transformation, with bygone colonial era icons like De Harmonie and Hotel des Indes, but also the just opened head...
Jalan Haji Agus Salim 1971
Jalan Haji Agus Salim, now Jalan Pamekasan, in 1971 A suburban scene on Jalan Haji Agus Salim nearly half a century ago. The photo has been taken on the most southern end of the road which is now known as Jalan Pamekasan (between Jalan Imam Bonjol and the intersection...
Jalan Ridwan Rais 1972
The PLN building on Jalan Ridwan Rais in 1972 The former offices of the Nederlandsch Indische Gas Maatschappij (Netherlands Indies Gas Company), in 1972 already known under its current name PLN. This characterful building does still exist today and is located on the...
Sinterklaas in Tanah Abang 1947
Sinterklaas in a convertible car on Tanah Abang Heuvel, 5 December 1947 Sinterklaas or Sint-Nicolaas is a legendary figure based on Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children. The feast of Sinterklaas celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas on 6 December. It is...
Kali Besar 1975
View to the drawbridge and MacLaine Watson & Co building in 1975 A unique view of the bridge over Kali Besar. This drawbridge, fully renovated during the time of Governor Ali Sadikin in the 1970s, dates back to 1628 and was known as Hoenderpasarbrug (Chicken...
Medan Merdeka Utara 1947
Restaurant and Dancing Yen Pin on Koningsplein Noord, 1947 Two young boys, one with a cigarette (!), having a chat with the famous restaurant and dancing Yen Pin at the background. This venue was based on what was then called Koningsplein Noord or Gambir Utara number...
Jalan Majapahit 1947
Three girls in front of the clockmaker shop J.Groeneweg on Jalan Majapahit in 1947 Three lovely girls having a laugh in front of the shop of clock and watchmaker Mr. J. Groeneweg on Rijswijkstraat 5 (now Jalan Majapahit). This workshop was just south of society De...
Istana Negara 1947
Paleis Rijswijk, now Istana Negara, in 1947 Four innocent children playing and wandering around the gardens of Paleis Rijswijk (now Istana Negara), possibly unaware of the important developments that happened inside this majestic white building. At the time of this...
Jalan Hayam Wuruk 1951
Jalan Hayam Wuruk, formerly Molenvliet Oost, in 1951 A rare colour photo of an iconic building on Jalan Hayam Wuruk 56-57, formerly Molenvliet Oost. On the left is the famous Tek Sun Ho "Eerste Weltevredensche Koffiebranderij" (First Coffee Roastery in Weltevreden),...
Historic tombstones in Taman Prasasti [VIDEO]
Very soon we will publish the book 250 YEARS IN OLD JAKARTA. It will tell the story of more than two centuries of Bik family in Jakarta, as well as the fascinating history of Tanah Abang, one of the oldest districts in Jakarta, dating back...
Taman Glodok 1954
Taman Glodok Djakarta, looking south, in 1954 A unique and colourful photo taken just south of Pasar Glodok, looking south towards the start of the former Molenvliet canal. At the front of the photo is where Jalan Hayam Wuruk (left) and Jalan Gajah Mada (right behind...
Jalan Hayam Wuruk 1954
Jalan Hayam Wuruk in 1954 A lively and colourful scene along the east side of the former Molenvliet canal in a rare colour photo of 65 years ago. Prominent at the front the characteristic washing ladies who have featured on so many historic Molenvliet pictures and who...
The street that beforehand was known as Laan Holle (Holle Lane)
JL SABANG 1937 - What is now officially named as Jalan Haji Agus Salim on Jakarta maps is still known and often referred to as Jalan Sabang, the street name that was given in July 1950 to the street that beforehand was known as Laan Holle (Holle Lane). The street ran...
Cisarua South cemetery – November 2018 (VIDEO)
Explanation wedding photo Tanah Abang Heuvel 1911 by Welly van Garderen in 1986 (VIDEO)
NIWA Hotel Tanah Abang 1947-1948 (VIDEO)
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