Monpera (Palembang) Indonesia

Monpera, Palembang Overview

Monpera, or the Monument of People’s Struggle, is a famous tourist attraction in Sumatra Island because of its rich history and magnificent concrete structures. The heritage site was built in honour, and to memorialize the local rebellion against the Dutch colonialists and tells the story of the occurrences before and after the declaration of Indonesia’s independence that took place on the 17th of August, 1945.

The monument is known for its jasmine flower-shaped structure and the buildings surrounding it, like the main gate with six concrete forks and the large size of the building which stands at 17 meters with eight levels and 45 lanes. The seventh level of the building provides a stunning view of downtown Palembang, including the Grand Mosque of Palembang which is located in the same vicinity as that of Monpera.

History

Monpera was built in honor of the five days and five nights of war against the Dutch that took place in January 1947 because of the Dutch invaders who open fired at the nationalist fighters from warships and boats and destroyed most of the city of Palembang by deploying tanks and artillery.

The monument was built by the members of the South Sumatra Veterans Legion who were Indonesian Independence fighters, and the monument was completed in the year 1988 with the name Monumen Perjuangan Rakyat by the Menkokesra at the time, Alamsyah Ratu Prawiranegara.

Architecture

The five sides of the structure are representative of the five residency areas under the ambit of the Sub-Commander of South Sumatra and the melati is symbolic of the purity of the hearts of the war heroes. The six fork figure at the main gate symbolises the six regions of struggle for the natives of Sumatra.

The elephant ivory structure, located beyond the main gate, is made of cement and sand castings represent the struggle of the Sumatran people alludes to a metaphor. Like dead elephants that leave behind ivory, the spirit of the people still lives on even after they have lost their lives.

The five days and five nights war is also represented by the two reliefs of war present within the complex. The chest of Garuda Pancasila is located near the elephant tusk and visitors can find various collections of historical items inside the building.

How To Reach Monpera

Monpera is located on Jalan Merdeka in Palembang, adjacent to the Great Mosque of Palembang and visitors can use both private and public transportation to reach the location.
Tourists mostly opt for getting to the venue via Ampera Lane, as it doesn’t take a lot of time to reach from the main city, and the most preferred means of travel is private transport for better comfort and faster travelling.
The main bus station in the area is Halte Transmusi Monpera with Halte Bawah Ampera and Halte Pengadaian at a distance of 3 minutes and 6 minutes on foot respectively.
The most convenient bus line that stops near the station is KOR 1.