Settled in the highlands north of Padang in the Agam valley, the town of Bukittinggi or ‘high hill’ becomes West Sumatra’s cultural forfront.
While Padang is the capital city and may be the modern commercial and administrative center, Bukittinggi is a bustling market town.
Bukittinggi has a refreshingly cool climate due to its elevation, which is over 900 meters above sea level. While it rains here often, this is not enough to deter travelers who come to enjoy what many claim is the most hospitable city in Sumatra.
Bukittinggi is the second biggest city in West Sumatra, and it famous by the born place of some important figure like Moch. Hatta and Assaat.
During the colonial time, this city was popular by Fort de Kock and it was concidered as Parijs van Sumatera besides of Medan. The city has been the capital of Indonesia during the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PDRI).
Before it became the capital of PDRI, the city has become the centre of government, both at the time of the Dutch East Indies and during the Japanese colonial period.
Bukittinggi is one of tourist cities in West Sumatra, and becomes the sister city to Seremban in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Jam Gadang or the clock tower is the famous icon in Bukittinggi and also becomes the city symbol.
Visiting this landmark in the City of Bukittinggi, you will be reminded of a very popular landmark in the City of London, which is the Big Ben.
It is not surprisingly as there are only a few mechanical machines in the world that drive the Jam Gadang and one of them is in Big Ben tower, London.
This iconic Indonesian landmark itself was built in 1926 as a gift from the Queen of the Netherlands for the Rook Maker, the secretary of the Bukittinggi area formerly known as Fort de Kock.
