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Pontianak
City at the Equator West Kalimantan
Pontianak has a
population of about 300,000 people, and is West Kalimantan's provincial
capital, for tourists also known as the city on the Equator, with
several tourism attractions around. Pontianak was initially a
sultanate, established half of the 18th century. The
founder father of the sultanate was Syarif
Abdurrahman. Pontianak City itself was founded on October 23,
1771 along the mouth of the Kapuas and Landak rivers.
Pontianak is now-a-days a cultural gateway through which influences
from the outside reach the population of the hinterland. People from
the hinterland also come to the city and mixed with Malays, Javanese,
Chinese, Bugis and other tribes. Pontianak has also a special
History with the Japanese because of the first battle of Kalimantan was
in Pontianak City. Small boats called "Betang" sail up and
down the river to transport people and goods from one place to another.
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The
Attractive Tourism Objects of Pontianak City are located on
the equator, at the north of the rivers Kapuas and Landak. The Kapuas
River itself is 1,143 kilometers long and is the most important river
in the province of West Kalimantan, navigating tons of stuff
up till Putussibau as the last village before the rapids, which is also
the capital of the Kapuas Hulu regency,and is more then 800 kilometers
inland from Pontianak. Motor or Longboats can even go further upstream
to Tanjung Lokan which is on the foot of the Muller Mountain Range.
Pontianak's
links with various other cities inside the province and outside are
smooth. Transportation by air and sea to several destinations
as Jakarta, Surabaya, Balikpapan, Singapore and
Kuching, there are also small planes with flights to small airstrips
throughout West Kalimantan, as Sintang, Putussibau and Ketapang, but
reservation in advance is needed. |
Tourism
Object at Pontianak City In West Kalimantan Province
One of Pontianak Prides is The Mujahiddin Mosque,which is the biggest
mosque in the province. In the village of
Bugis Dalam, is the Jami' Mosque of Sultan Abdurrahman Al-Qodri. This
historical mosque was built in 1771 by Sultan Syarif
Abdurrahman.
The Sultan Palace of Khadariyah lies nearby with a shape in
Portuguese style, and was a fort against enemy attacks in the past. You
can also find a monument of the Sultan Kingdom nearby.
The historical cathedral with a clock on the top of the church
sign for the historical Christian influances at Pontianak City.
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About 3
kilometers North of Pontianak City, towards the Pinyuh river, you can
find the well-known Equator Monument, standing on the exact spot,
passed by the equator.
The Museum of Pontianak is a beautiful building in modern design, with
the ornamental characteristics of the area. The museum's collections
include relics from the time of the arrival of Islam in West
Kalimantan.
The Patria Jaya Heroes Cemetery, towards the Soepadio airport,
is where those who died in the cause of independence are buried.
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The Juang
Mandor Cemetery is a cemetery for those killed in the fight against the
Japanese. About 21,037 bodies lie buried in ten mass graves.
More outside of Pontianak Town, you can find The small Palace of
Mempawah Kingdom which was built in 1780. Mempawah is
the capital of the Pontianak regency. It lies at the side of the river
and is a busy town. The cannons of Kyai Sumi and Ratu Destari are found
near Munggu village.
Penibungan Island is reachable by motor-canoe from Mempawah and has
beautiful beaches which made it a favored holiday resort. Also Temajo
Island is easily reachable from Mempawah, which has near a clean white
beach also a historical grave of Fatimah Jemaje in
Tanjung Mutus. Fatimah was a queen of Siak who died in a battle between
the kingdoms of Sambas and Siak. Kijing Island can be sailed
from Temajo Island. which is a popular holiday resort |
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