Minister of Culture Soroti Historic Buildings in Kotagede, Revitalization of Old Langgar Becomes a Concern
YOGYAKARTA - Minister of Culture Fadli Zon highlighted the importance of preserving cultural heritage buildings when visiting the residence of cultural activist Achmad Charris Zubair in Kotagede, Yogyakarta, Saturday, June 6.
During the visit, which was the closing of his work series in Yogyakarta, Fadli assessed that a number of historic buildings in the area had an important value for Indonesian history and culture, but some of them needed serious attention for preservation.
One of the highlights is an old break that is in front of the Achmad Charris Zubair residence. The building, which is said to be one of the oldest breaks in Kotagede, is considered to need revitalization.
"In front of the pendopo there is a break which is also very old and is one of the oldest breaks in Kotagede, Yogyakarta. Currently, the condition is quite worrying so it needs attention and revitalization efforts," said Fadli.
Achmad Charris Zubair is known as an intellectual and cultural person of Yogyakarta. He is also one of the nine proponents of Cultural Day. In addition to being active in the field of culture, Charris is known as a writer who pays attention to philosophy, history, and various other fields of science.
Fadli explained that Charris' house was a pendopo that had been designated as a city-level cultural heritage. The building was built in 1870 and is now occupied by the third generation of the Charris Zubair family.
In addition to visiting Charris' residence, Fadli also visited the House of Civilization which was once the residence of the national figure K.H. Abdul Kahar Muzakir.
According to Fadli, Kahar Muzakir is one of the important figures in the early history of the Republic of Indonesia. He is listed as a member of the Indonesian Independence Preparatory Business Investigation Agency (BPUPKI), the Indonesian Independence Preparatory Committee (PPKI), and the Nine Committee which played a role in the process of drafting the state's foundation.
"In addition, K.H. Kahar Muzakir also served as the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt and had an important role in the early days of independence, especially in the process of drafting the Indonesian constitution," he said.
Fadli assessed that the House of Civilization is not just a historic building, but a space that stores the traces of the journey of national figures and the process of the birth of modern Indonesia.
The house has now been revitalized by the Indonesian Islamic University Foundation. Inside there are various documentation regarding the journey of life, thoughts, struggles, and works of Kahar Muzakir.
The visit was also an opportunity to emphasize the importance of protecting cultural heritage, both in the form of historic buildings and the values inherited by national figures.
According to Fadli, preserving historic buildings means preserving the collective memory of the nation so that it remains alive and can be understood by the next generation.