Salatiga, Central Java Province, Indonesia

🇮🇩 Salatiga is a city in Central Java province, Indonesia. It covers an area of 56.781 km². Located between the cities of Semarang and Surakarta, and administratively an independent city enclaved within Semarang Regency, it sits at the foot of Mount Merbabu (3,142 m) and Mount Telomoyo, and has a relatively cool climate due to its elevated position. Salatiga is a part of the Semarang metropolitan area.

History The official birth date of Salatiga is 24 July 750 A.D. (the 31st date and 4th year of the Saka calendar). The scroll Monolith of Plumpungan (Prasasti Plumpungan in Sanskrit) by King Bhanu, declares May you be happy! All the people ("Srir = astu swasti prajabhyah") and designated village of Hampran (Desa Hampran) a Perdikan village (Desa Perdikan, meaning a tax-free village). "Çrirastuswasti Prajabyah" is the official motto of Salatiga as written in the government seal.

In 1746, the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, VOC) built De Hersteller fort in Salatiga because Salatiga was strategically located at the intersection between Semarang, Surakarta and Magelang.

On 1 July 1917 the village of Salatiga was designated as a stads gemeente or small town by the Dutch East Indies government. In the colonial era, Salatiga was stratified by race. The Europeans lived near the city centre, at the Toentangscheweg (Toentang Road) leading to Semarang and also near to Dutch plantations in the Salatiga Afdeling. The Chinese were based near the trading centre, the Kalicacing Market, at the Soloscheweg (Solo Road). Native people were bound to live outside the European and Chinese communities. The education system was divided accordingly, with different schools for the Europeans, the Chinese and the natives. Salatiga was led by a burgermeester (mayor), assisted by College van Burgermeester en Wethouders. There was a legislative body, the Stadsgemeenteraad; however, its membership was not proportional, with 8 seats for the Europeans, 1 seat for the Chinese, and only 2 seats for the natives who form the majority of the people. The economy of Salatiga was hampered by the world economic depression of the 1930s. To reduce the city's spending the salaries of government officials were cut by up to 15%. Salatiga had an important economic role as a hinterland to Semarang, providing agricultural products like coffee, rubber, cacao, cotton, spices, tobacco, wheat and vegetables to Semarang to be processed.

Supported by geographical factors, its mostly mild climate and its luxurious buildings with Indies architecture, Salatiga's beauty was well known during the Dutch colonisation, even it was called De Schoonste Stad van Midden-Java (The Most Beautiful City in Central Java).

Administration Before 1992, Salatiga is divided into one district (kecamatan), the Salatiga District. According to Government Regulation No. 69 of 1992, 13 villages from Semarang Regency were moved into Salatiga, and Salatiga District was dissolved. There are now four districts: Argomulyo, Tingkir, Sidomukti, and Sidorejo.

Geography Salatiga is located 48 km south of Semarang and 54 km north of Surakarta. Its elevation is between 450–800 metres.

Economy Salatiga’s economy rate increased by 22.38% from 2014-2016. About 2 billion Rupiah from the data collected in 2016.

From lowest to highest divided according to regions, Argomulyo with the lowest economy (368,741,00 Rupiah). Sidomukti with 424,301,65 Rupiah, Tingkir with 541,630,14 Rupiah, and the highest, Sidorejo, with 697,593,54 Rupiah.

There is an emerging processing industry that includes textile, tires and animal slaughter in Salatiga. In 2000, this industry contributes 119.76 billion rupiahs to the economy of Salatiga. Salatiga is located at the intersection to and from Semarang, Surakarta and Yogyakarta, benefiting its trade sector. In 2000, the trade sector contributes 109 billion rupiahs to the economy of Salatiga. The following are examples of industries within each category in Salatiga: • Food ◦ PT. Charoen Pokphand ◦ PT. Sukasari Mitra Mandiri ◦ Cv. Juara Food Industry ◦ Perusahaan Abon Abadi SS •  Beverage ◦ PT. Kievit Indonesia ◦ PT. Adarasa Putra Jaya ◦ PT. Globalindo Perkasa • Building materials ◦ PT. Tripilar Beton Mas Salatiga ◦ PT. Trikartika Megah Salatiga • PT. Agric Amarga Jaya (Tobacco Processing) • PT. Daya Manungal Textiles – Damatex) • PT. Selalu Cinta Indonesia (Leather or Items of Leather and Footwear) • PT. Indo Sakura Indah (Polivinyl Products) • PT. Unza Vitalis (Cosmetics) • PT. Formulatrix (Computer and Electronic Products) • PK. Mulyo (Furnitures).

Transport Salatiga is traversed by provincial road that connects Semarang and Surakarta. Tingkir Terminal is the main bus station in Salatiga, serving intercity buses. The Tamansari Terminal serves angkot (share taxis), even though most of the angkot did not stop at the terminal. The Semarang–Solo Toll Road section Bawen-Salatiga was inaugurated on 25 September 2017. There is a plan to build a junction with the toll road at Pattimura Street, closer to the city centre than the current junction, to prevent Salatiga from becoming a dead city.

Angkot As a small city between Solo and Semarang. Salatiga has adequate transportation facilities. With an area of approximately 56,781 km², Salatiga has 423 units (updated 24 May 2016) of urban transportation (angkot). Angkot in the City of Salatiga is divided into 15 different routes which are centered in front of Ramayana Salatiga, Tamansari. These 15 routes have been able to cover all areas in Salatiga.

Transport: Bus Salatiga has three bus terminals

1 Terminal Tingkir which serves buses for AKDP Central Java and AKAP Central Java, such as Jakarta, Denpasar, Bali.

2 Terminal Tamansari which serves the inner city route.

3 Pasar Sapi Terminal which serves the Upper Salatiga area (Getasan, Kopeng, Ngablak, and  Magelang city).

For inter-city transportation, Salatiga has city buses Esto, Sawojajar, Konco Narimo, Tunas Mulya, Safari, Galaksi Taxi and Matra Taxi with destinations around the city of Salatiga.

Ring Road Jalan Linkar Selatan Salatiga (Salatiga’s Ring Road) runs from the north-western end of the city to the south-eastern end. It runs 11.3 km long in an arc around the south-western edge of the city. Jalan Lingkar Selatan Salatiga was planned in 1994 and was finalized in 1999. Construction only began in 2005 and was completed in 2016.

Water supply Clean water is supplied by PDAM Salatiga. The water comes from Kaliombo, Senjoyo, Kali Golek Senjoyo, and Kaligetak water springs.

Hospitals The Salatiga Regional Public Hospital (RSUD) operates for public use. It is located at Jl. Osamaliki No. 19 in Sidomukti, Salatiga.

This being a Type B hospital, it provides facilities such as general medical services, emergency services, basic specialist medical services, medical support specialist services, other specialist medical services, oral dental specialist medical services, subspecialty medical services, nursing and midwifery services, clinical support services, and non-clinical support services.

The Dr. Asmir Hospital is a military hospital that operates for public use as well as for military personnel. It is located at Jl. Dr. Muwardi No. 50 Salatiga, though it used to operate at a different location, and was moved to its current location in 1967 at the request of the local government.        

This being a Type C hospital, it provides general medical services, emergency services, basic medical specialists, medical support specialists, oral dental specialists, nursing and midwifery, as well as clinical and non-clinical support services.

The Salatiga Puri Asih Hospital operates for public use. It is located at Jl. Jend. Sudirman No.169, Gendongan, Salatiga. This is a Type C hospital.

The Pulmonary (Lung) Hospital by Dr.Ario Wirawan is located at Jl.Hasanuddin No.806, Salatiga. Dr Ario Wirawan Hospital was used as a referral hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a class A hospital that has been established since 1934. It is now owned by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia.

RSIA Hermina Mutiara Bunda is located at Jl.Merak No.8, Sidomukti, Salatiga. It was founded in 2004 by Dr. Robby Hernawan, Sp. OG (K) dan Dr. Hj. Emilia Pratiwi. In 2012, Mutiara Bunda Maternity Hospital developed into a Maternity Hospital and, in the same year, they received national accreditation certification as a class C hospital.

Tertiary education Salatiga has several universities and colleges: • Satya Wacana Christian University (UKSW), the largest university in Salatiga with 14 Faculties and 3 Doctoral studies, and 14,000 students and 300 faculty members. It was founded in 1956. • State Institute for Islamic Studies Salatiga (IAIN Salatiga), an Islamic College specialising in Education. Now, the largest High Education Institution in Salatiga, which is accept up to 10.000 students per year with Five Faculty (Fakultas Tarbiyah dan Ilmu Keguruan, Fakultas Ekonomi dan Bisnis Islam, Fakultas Syariah, Fakultas Dakwah, Fakultas Ushluhuddin, Adab dan Humaniora dan Sekolah Pascasarjana). Let's join us, Spirituality, Intellectuality, Professionalism • Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi (STIE AMA), a private college specialising in Economics • There are some Sekolah Tinggi Teologi (College of Christian Theology) in Salatiga such as STT Salatiga, STT Sangkakala, STT Efata, STT Berea, STT Nusantara, and The Theological Faculty of Satya Wacana Christian University (UKSW). The latter is one of the best theological schools in the nation, as it has been A-accredited by the National Accreditation Agency for Higher Education (BAN-PT).

Sports Centres Lapangan Kridanggo Salatiga is a local stadium that is located near RSUD Salatiga at Jl. Stadion, Sidomukti. It was first renovated in 2005, then in 2015, and most recently in 2018 until now. Lapangan Kridanggo has an impressive view of Mount Merbabu, Telomoyo, and Merapi. One of Indonesia’s football legends, Bambang Pamungkas, had trained at Lapangan Kridanggo Salatiga.

Lapangan Tenis Kridanggo is an indoor court. It is located at Jl. Stadion, Sidomukti, Salatiga. It was once used by KONI (National Sports Committee of Indonesia) for a tournament that hosted visitors from various other cities.

Lapangan Pancasila Salatiga is a tourist attraction. It is located at Jl. Ahmad Yani no. 100, Kalicacing, Salatiga. It is used by many locals to exercise in. Locals usually use Lapangan Pancasila for a daily exercise, such as jogging, calisthenics, etc. There are some exercise facilities that are available for public use.

Arena Futsal Centre is a local futsal place located at Jl. Cemara Raya no. 838, Salatiga. It opens at 8am to 9pm throughout the week.

Muncul is a swimming pool that sources its water from a natural spring in Mt. Telomoyo. It is located near Bukit Cinta, Banyubiru. The water is kept very cold and refreshing. It has become a tourist destination for some, and for most, it is used by people from Ungaran, Salatiga and even Semarang for a daily swim. The entry ticket is 5,000 Rupiah as of March 2021.

The Kalitaman Swimming Pool is an affordable pay-to-enter swimming area for general use. It is located at Jl. Kalitaman No.3, Kutowinangun Kidul, Salatiga. It provides a clean swimming area with one uniqueness that allows for clean freshwater to pump in from the holes in the bottom of the pool. It has other facilities such as a canteen, and has hosted many sporting events such as Porseni, Popda, and Salatiga Cup.

This pool’s history dates back to the Dutch colonial area in 1927, when it was built as a bathing area, though it was only for the use of the Dutch residents who lived nearby, where it was then reclaimed by the Salatiga Local Water Company as a public swimming pool in 2005.

Tourist Industry Saloka Saloka theme park, with an area of 15 hectares, is the largest theme park at Central Java located a mere 2.3 km from the border of Salatiga. This amusement park has 25 rides with the theme of the legend of the people of Central Java. Alongside recreational tourism, Saloka theme park also provides educational tourism with their indoor science museum.

Mt. Merbabu

Mount Merbabu is part of the district areas of Magelang, Boyolali and Semarang. There are 5 hiking routes to this mountain. One of the bases, is Basecamp Chuntel in Kopeng, Salatiga. From this base, the route trails through steep and extreme landscaping with the final destination arriving at the northern side of Mount Merbabu.

Kopeng Treetop Adventure Park Kopeng Treetop Adventure Park is a tourist attraction set in nature. This recreational park is located in the woods at the foot of Merbabu Mountain and has become a popular attraction for families who wish to spend their weekends or holidays with a refreshing activity in nature.

Arts and Festivals Indonesian International Culture Festival (IICF) A parade (organized by UKSW, a local university) dubbed as the Indonesian International Culture Festival, or IICF, is held annually in mid-April, where marchers dress in distinct, traditional clothing to represent different tribes and ethnicities. The parade follows a chosen theme for that particular year, often with strong tones of nationalism and unity in the differences notably between the more than a thousand tribes.

Drumblek The parade marches their route throughout the city, announcing their presence with music played by a Drumblek, which is a traditional drum band originated in Salatiga. This form of cultural music is played from repurposed materials such as barrels. It was pioneered by the artist Didik Subiantoro Masruri in 1986. This particular band style based on recycled items was a result of the lack of funds in celebration of Indonesia’s Independence Day.

Chinese New Year Chinese New Year is a festive time in Salatiga. On the fifteenth and last day of celebration, also called Cap Go Meh, can be witnessed a compelling performance of a large dragon puppet, the Barongsai. This puppet is usually played by two or more people, performing an entrancing Chinese traditional dance at Klenteng Hok Tek Bio and along Sukowati street, where the temple is located. On this special day, civilians gather around the temple where a big celebration filled with performances is held and angpao (red envelope) is given out.

Mural Village Murals are found all over the city. The catalysts range from groups of 15 artists to underground, solo artists. Nonetheless, their impressive talents reward the city with colorful art that convey important messages enjoyed by civilians and visitors alike. A village, Pancuran, is entirely painted in art and became known as the “Mural Village”.

Festival Mata Air In 2005, a group of local artworkers in Salatiga formed a community, Tanam Untuk Kehidupan (“Planting for Life”). In 2006, the community organized a three-day festival with the intention of raising awareness of environmental and especially water issues through cleaning programs and re-utilizing the garbage into hand-crafted arts. This festival, named “Festival Mata Air” (“Spring Festival”), was held annually, the first festival in November, 2006. The last festival was held in 2016, at a spring in Muncul, where a team of 170 people retrieved a staggering 1,800 kilograms of trash which was later repurposed.

Salatiga 'How Art you' Salatiga “How Art You” is a community fest held for enthusiasts to share their appreciation for arts, theaters, dances, and visuals, as well as introducing these arts to a public audience through performances, and to provide young, rising artists a space to develop their talents and love of art. The event has been held annually since 2015 in the form of an exhibition, where artists are welcome to sell their works to the visitors. The last festival was held in 2019 at the mayor's official residence (Rumah Dinas Walikota Salatiga).

Landmarks: Tugu Jam Tamansari Tugu Jam Tamansari is a historical monument, a clock, that has been known as the central point of the city of Salatiga since colonial times. Unto this day, the monument remains the centre of the downtown area of Salatiga and has become an important landmark for the reason of its historical background.

Pancasila Park Alun Alun Pancasila is a city park that has been around for a long time. It is a favorite choice of destination for local civilians to spend their leisure time. In the park is a monument with statues of the three national heroes of Indonesia who were born in the city of Salatiga: Brigadier General Sudiarto, Admiral Madya Yosaphat Soedarso, and Marshal Muda Agustinus Adisucipto.

Architecture Salatiga is a small town that connects Semarang and Solo. Thus, Salatiga provided a lot of the infrastructure as a resting point for the Dutch. During the Dutch Colonial era, Salatiga was considered as De schoonste stad van Midden Java, which translates to,“The Most Beautiful Town in Middle Java,“ in Dutch. There’s a few building from Dutch Colonial Era like Bus stop, Salatiga Mayor's Office, and The building of Korem Makutarama Salatiga. Some of the buildings mentioned still stand until today.