Jam Gadang,is it like 'small Big Ben'?

Jam Gadang is an o'clock as landmark of Bukittinggi City,West Sumatra. This special symbol from West Sumatra has story and unique because it has been there for teens years old.

Jam Gadang established by an architect Yazid Sutan Gigi Ameh in 1926. The first stone setting up did by Rook Maker's first son when he was 6 years old. The o'clock was a gift from Queen of Dutch to Controleur (City Secretary), Rook Maker. The form of Jam Gadang roof had been changed for three times from time to time. It had a circle shape with a cock statue on the top in Dutch colonial. In Japan occupation, they changed the roof like a Chinese temple roof. In independence era, it changed to four pitched roof like traditional Minangkabau's house with a tip bamboo shoot. On the top of Jam Gadang, we can still see form Limpapeh Bridge with distance 1 km from location.


It has diameter 80 centimeters with base blueprint 13 X 4 meters and height 26 meters. This phenomenal o'clock construction has been spent around 3000 Gulden where it become a symbol of Bukittinggi after that. There is uniqueness from Roma number on Jam Gadang. Usually, the Roman's alphabet written writes 6 with VI and number 7 with VII. But it number 4 wrote with IIII symbol (it should be IV ).


The symbol of Bukittinggi is located in Sabai Nan Aluih Park, in front of Bung Hatta Palace where it has fondation 13 X 4 meters. There are leafy trees around it where it becomes a place to pleasure for city resident. There are "bendi" or horse cart when do you want to go around to go the city. The fare can be negotiating around US$ 2-5 for tourists.

We can do shopping in Pasar Atas that is usually crowded on Wednesday, Saturday and Monday, where it located not far from the Bigger O'Clock in Bukittinggi. You can shop kids of handicrafts such as woven products, silver industry, T-shirt and which show up Minangkabau image in here.

If you want to see the proud of Bukittinggi people in daylight or evening freely, there are inns around it along Larus Datuk Bandaro,Soekarno-Hatta,and Dr.A.Rivai and Soedirman streets. You will get an exotic views and romantic from morning until evening around it.