Aceh , Past and Present

Kamis, 28 Agustus 2008

Still a little people knows that Aceh is rich of events, attraction and unique cultures that it can be fascinate anyone.

Aceh is also rich in natural beauty, waves and sea garden which is suitable for diving. Some of most beautiful Aceh tourism and historical sites and beaches have been damaged by the massive earthquake and Dec '04 Tsunami but peoples there take care of their beautifull places.

Aceh , Past and Present. It’s difficult for me to write about aceh history becaused I have a lot of friend from aceh . Most of them says about a bad thing happen in aceh when suharto becoming indonesia’s president. Most of them told me about how people in aceh gave their money to bought airplane for President Sukarno.

Aceh is a special territory of Indonesia , this position is the same with Jakarta and Yogyakarta. Aceh was located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Aceh’s full name is Nanggröe Aceh Darussalam.

Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city of Aceh. Banda Aceh is a city which was established on April 22, 1205 by Sultan Alaidin Johansyah, is one of the oldest Islamic city in the South-East of Asia. The population was approximately around 500,000 peoples in 2007. The prior city name was Kutaraja, determined as the provincial capital in 1956. Later its name was changed into Banda Aceh, where the first part of its name comes from the Persian bandar and means "port" or "haven". It is also proudly referred to as the "port to Meccah", as Islam first arrived in Aceh and spread throughout Southeast Asia.

Below are the list of interesting places in Aceh

• Museum Negeri -- The museum is filled with antiques. Among the exhibits is a big clock, a gift from the Emperor of China and brought to Aceh by the famed Admiral Cheng Ho in 1414. Museum Aceh - There is a museum in Banda Aceh located near the Governor's residence. The main building of the Museum is a house built in a traditional style by the Dutch Governor Van Swart in 1914. The museum is filled with antiques, and among the exhibits a big bell Cakra Donya a gift from the Emperor of China conveyed by Admiral Cheng Ho in 1414. On the bell can be found a Chinese script, Sing Fang Niat Toeng Juut Kat, no one knows what it really means.
• Pinto Khop -- which are located at a few steps from the Pendopo are also charms of the city. Gunongan was erected around the 16th century during the reign of Sultan Iskandar Muda.
• Kerkhof or Churchyard -- is a much visited site especially by Dutch visitors where the remains of more then 2,000 Dutch soldiers lie buried
• Cut Nyak Dhien House. The house is a replica of the heroine Cut Nyak Dhien House, from the Aceh War. The house was burnt down by the colonial forces but a replica was built later. This house in Lam Pisang, about 6 kilometers from Banda Aceh, is now a museum.
• Indra Patra Fortress. This old fort was built during the time of Iskandar Muda. It probably functioned as a defense against invaders. (Damaged because of Tsunami)

foto : IDDAILY.NET