The Monumen Nasional (Monas) is a 137m tall tower in Central Jakarta, symbolizing the fight for Indonesia's Independence. Its construction began in 1961 under Sukarno and not finished until 1975 under Suharto. It's topped by a 14.5 tonnes of flame-shaped bronze plated in 35kg of gold.
Visitors can take a lift up to a platform with a good view on Medan Merdeka Park, Istiqlal Mosque and the city (if it's not too foggy); in the base of the monument is an exhibition of the declaration of independence and several dioramas showing the history of Indonesia.
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Last updated: 10-23-2005 21:03:28
