Monas

The National Monument is a 433 ft (132 meter) tower in the center of Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta, symbolizing the fight for Indonesia's independence. Construction began in 1961 under the direction of President Sukarno and the monument was opened to the public in 1975. It is topped by a flame covered with gold foil. The monument and the museum is open daily from 08.00 - 15.00 Western Indonesia Time, everyday throughout the week, except for the last Monday of each month, when the monument is closed.

On the outer yard encircling the monument, on each four corners, there are high reliefs of Indonesian History. The reliefs and statues were made from molded cement, but several of these statues are already damaged and have decayed due to torrential rain and the tropical climate. Inside the base of the monument there is the Indonesian National History Museum, located three metres below the surface of the monument. It is a large marble-lined room measuring 80 x 80 metres with 48 dioramas along the walls side depicting scenes from the Indonesian history from prehistory until the New Order, plus 3 other dioramas in the center of the room, making a total of 51 dioramas.