Bandung is one of the cities in Indonesia known for its popularity in music, fashion, shopping destinations, and youth culture. Located not far from the capital Jakarta, Bandung’s popularity dates back to the colonial era when the Dutch government developed the city in the early 1900s as a tourist destination for Europeans in the Dutch East Indies (the name before Indonesia). It’s no wonder that the city has been described as cosmopolitan, or referred to as a Western and European laboratory in the tropics.
Several factors contribute to Bandung’s cosmopolitan nature, including its role as an entertainment and educational center during the colonial era. On the other hand, the presence of educational institutions often made Bandung a key point for many cultural changes in the Dutch East Indies.
Plan of Bandung Map (1923)
A map released by the Bandung City Tourism Bureau in the Dutch colonial era showing the division of city areas for whites, Chinese, Arabs, natives with a number of very European place names.
Come to Bandung: The Mountain City of the East (1937)
An English language brochure published by the Bandung City Tourism Bureau to invite tourists to come to Bandung. Branded as a mountain city, a number of the city’s advantages are also highlighted such as a shopping tourism city, a place for young people, and so on.
Bandoeng: De ideale woon- en vacantiestad (1930)
A Dutch language book that contains more details about the development of the city of Bandung by forming its image as an ideal place for a holiday (de ideal Wowon-en vacantiestad).
Bandung Photos (1920s to 1930s)
These photos showing the city’s activities in the 1920s and 1930s. Some of them show how Bandung was made to be more European.