Old Banten

Coordinates: 6°02′33″S 106°09′39″E / 6.0424495°S 106.1609316°E / -6.0424495; 106.1609316 Old Banten (Indonesian Banten Lama) is an archaeological site in the northern coast of Serang Regency, Banten, Indonesia. Located 11 km north of Serang city, the site of Old Banten contains the ruin of the walled port city of Banten, the 16th-century capital of the Sultanate of Banten.

Since 1995, Old Banten has been proposed to UNESCO World Heritage.

History

Banten was a 16th century port city known for its pepper. The city flourished when the Islamic Banten Sultanate reached its peak during the 17th century. There was a period of intense conflicts with the Dutch East India Company (VOC) over the trade of spices, which eventually led to the dissolution of the Sultanate in Banten and to the city's decline.

Today, the site where the city of Banten remains is known as Old Banten. It is a well-known tourist attraction, where many locals visit to pay their respects and pray at the graves of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin and his descendants; or visits the Great Mosque. The area reflects the sultanate's earlier glory. Notable buildings include the impressive Great Mosque of Banten, ruins of two important Kraton (palaces), the watch tower, the water systems and the artifacts at the Museum of Banten Artifacts.

Banten

Banten is the westernmost province on the island of Java, in Indonesia. The provincial capital city is Serang.

The population of Banten was officially estimated at 11,834,087 at the start of 2014, up from over 10.6 million during the 2010 census. Formerly part of the province of West Java, Banten became a separate province in 2000. The province is a transit corridor to the neighbouring Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Historically, it has had a culture distinct from the rest of Java and that of the broader Indonesian archipelago. In recent years, the northern half, particularly those areas near Jakarta and the Java Sea coast, have experienced rapid rises in population and urbanization, while the southern half, particularly that facing the Indian Ocean, maintains more of its traditional character.

History

In the 5th century, Banten was part of the Kingdom of Tarumanagara. The Lebak relic inscriptions, found in lowland villages on the edge of Ci Danghiyang, Munjul, Pandeglang, Banten, were discovered in 1947 and contains 2 lines of poetry with Pallawa script and Sanskrit language. The inscriptions speak of the courage of king Purnawarman. After the collapse of the Tarumanagara kingdom, due to an attack by Srivijaya, power in the western Java fell to the Kingdom of Sunda. The Chinese source, Chu-fan-chi, written circa 1225, Chou Ju-kua mentioned that in the early 13th Century, Srivijaya still ruled Sumatra, the Malay peninsula, and western Java (Sunda). The source identifies the port of Sunda as strategic and thriving, pepper from Sunda being among the best in quality. The people worked in agriculture and their houses were built on wooden poles (rumah panggung). However, robbers and thieves plagued the country. It was highly possible that the port of Sunda mentioned by Chou Ju-kua was probably refer to the port of Banten.

Banten (town)

Coordinates: 6°02′33″S 106°09′39″E / 6.0424495°S 106.1609316°E / -6.0424495; 106.1609316

Banten (sometimes called Bantam) near the western end of Java was a strategically important site and formerly a major trading city with a secure harbour at the mouth of Banten River that provided a navigable passage for light craft into the island's interior. The town is close to the Sunda Strait through which important ocean-going traffic passes between Java and Sumatra. Formerly Old Banten was the capital of a sultanate in the area.

History

In the 5th century Banten was part of the Tarumanagara kingdom. The Lebak relic inscriptions, found in lowland villages on the edge of Ci Danghiyang, Munjul, Pandeglang, Banten, were discovered in 1947 and contains 2 lines of poetry with Pallawa script and Sanskrit language. The inscriptions mentioned the courage of king Purnawarman. After the collapse of the kingdom Tarumanagara following an attack by the Srivijaya empire, power in western Java fell to the Kingdom of Sunda. The Chinese source, Chu-fan-chi, written c. 1200, Chou Ju-kua mentioned that in the early 13th Century, Srivijaya still ruled Sumatra, the Malay peninsula, and western Java (Sunda). The source identifies the port of Sunda as strategic and thriving, pepper from Sunda being among the best in quality. The people worked in agriculture and their houses were built on wooden poles (rumah panggung). However, robbers and thieves plagued the country. It is highly possible that the port of Sunda mentioned by Chou Ju-kua referred to the port of Banten.