BANDA ACEH

Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh, is located at the most northern tip of Sumatra; two and a half hours flight from Jakarta and only 45 minutes from Medan.

Banda Aceh has a lot of traditions many of which are colored by Islam. As Hinduism arrived before Islam there still remains an influence of Hinduism within the Acehnese culture especially in traditional ceremonies.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Baiturrahman Mosque

The great Baiturrahman Mosque is the main feature of Banda Aceh today. Located in the heart of the city, this mosque is one of Indonesia’s prime tourist attractions.

The mosque was built sometime around the 12^th century. The mosque has suffered through several fires, including once when the Dutch attacked Banda Aceh in 1873. The Dutch Military government later reconstructed it and it was completed in1883.

The mosque’s architecture and design is extraordinary. It has seven onion shaped domes, four small minarets within the mosque structure, one really tall minaret in front of the entrance gate. Its wide white walls and pillars are beautifully decorated.

Aceh Museum

There is a museum in Banda Aceh not far from the Governor’s residence. The main museum building was built in a traditional style by the Dutch Governor Van Swart in 1914. The museum itself is filled with antiques and ancient artifacts.

In the courtyard stands a big bell, Cakra Donya, which was a gift from the Emperor of China, conveyed by Admiral Cheng Ho in 1414. There is an inscription on the bell”in Chinese; “Sing Fang Niat Juut Kat Tjo”, however, no-one really knows what this means.

Gunongan

Gunongan is a man made miniature representation of a mountain built by Sultan Iskandar Muda for his wife, Putro Phang, who was from Malaysia. It is thought that this monument and surrounding park served as a recreational area for the Queen and other royal family members.

It is quite enjoyable to visit during the late afternoon or for the sunset.

Kerkoff Peucut War Memorial

Kerkoff Peucut is the cemetery of the Dutch soldiers who died during the Acehnese war. About 2,200 soldiers were buried in this graveyard, including General Kohler.

Their names and where and when they died can be found at the entrance to the cemetery.

R.I. 001 Suelawah Monument

This monument was erected to commemorate Indonesia’s Independence in 1945. At this time however, the Dutch intended to reoccupy the country. In the ensuing struggle in 1949, the Republic of Indonesia desperately needed aircraft to reach the enemy strongholds as many areas had already fallen into their hands. The President of Indonesia at this time, Mr., Sukarno, urgently requested the people of Aceh to donate money towards the purchase of an aircraft. A Douglas DC-3 was bought not long afterwards with Acehnese gold. This first aircraft was the precursor of the Garuda Indonesia fleet, which nowadays is the biggest airline in Indonesia.

Syiah Kuala’s Grave

Syiah Kuala was one of Aceh’s great Muslim leaders of the past. He spent 15 years in Mecca studying religion before he dedicated most of his life to science and society. He wrote many books on Islam, social studies and various science topics. He also taught a lot of students from Malaysia, West Sumatra and Java.

His grave can be found 3km to the east of Banda Aceh in the Kuala area.

Syiah Kuala University

A state University was founded in 1959 and the campus was named Darussalam – City of Peace. The university itself was named after the great scholar Syiah Kuala. Today the university has about 15,000 students both from within and outside Aceh. The university has many faculties including; Economics, Law, Agriculture, Engineering, Education, Veterinary Science and Medicine. An Islamic theological institute, Jamiah Ar-Raniry, is also found on the campus.

Darussalam is located in the eastern suburbs of Banda Aceh, about 8km from the town centre.

Ulee Lheue

Ulee Lheue is one of the well-known tourist attractions in Banda Aceh, this place is now known as the zero point of the tsunami. Ulee Lheue harbor is a departure point to both Pulau Aceh and Pulau Weh. Transport ferries for Pulau Weh leave twice a day, taking two and a half hours. A faster passenger-only ferry also leaves twice a day and takes only 45 minutes. Boats leaving for Pulau Aceh take one and half hours and there are two crossings per day.