Depok Lama is targeted to become a National Cultural Heritage, the Minister of Culture asks for registration to be expedited.

Fadli Zon meminta Pemkot Depok mempercepat registrasi dan verifikasi cagar budaya agar Depok Lama bisa naik kelas menjadi cagar budaya nasional. (IST)

JAKARTA - The revitalization of the historic Depok Lama area does not want to stop at the discourse. Minister of Culture Fadli Zon asked the Depok City Government to accelerate the registration and verification of cultural heritage so that Depok Lama could be upgraded to a national cultural heritage. The message is clear: without a strong umbrella status, old buildings are easily lost by projects and forgotten.

This was conveyed by Fadli when receiving the Mayor of Depok, Supian Suri, the Cultural Heritage Expert Team, and the cultural community at the Ministry of Culture's office, Jakarta, Tuesday, March 4, 2026. The meeting discussed the protection, development, and utilization of historical sites and buildings in Depok, especially Old Depok.

The Depok City Government explained the plan to revive old buildings, including the former Harapan Hospital, a Dutch colonial relic that is now unused, for public facilities. One of the options discussed: a Depok history and culture museum.

Depok Lama was designated as a city-level cultural heritage area since 2021. This area still has an old church that is actively used, a colonial-era bridge, and a number of buildings from the 18th century. Around it is the 7-hectare Raya Forest Park, which is part of the historical landscape, including a building known as the Depok Presidential House.

"We support all efforts to revitalize cultural heritage in various cities. There needs to be an acceleration of the registration and verification of cultural heritage so that it can be designated as a national cultural heritage," said Fadli. He also encouraged the preparation of a comprehensive development plan - from historic buildings, museums, to supporting facilities - so that revitalization is not patchwork.

Supian Suri hopes that the support of the Ministry of Culture can make Depok Lama come back to life as a center of cultural activities as well as a historical tourist destination. "The Depok Lama area has various historical sites and we want these spaces to be used both today and in the future," he said.

The meeting also touched on Depok's intangible cultural heritage. One of them is the Depok Community consisting of 12 Dutch descendants, as well as the Depok Lebaran tradition which is encouraged to develop into a national agenda. The city government also explained the plan for the Depok cultural museum as an interactive educational space that records Depok's journey from the beginning of the community's formation to a modern city.

Present were the Director General of Cultural and Traditional Protection Restu Gunawan and Special Staff to the Minister Anissa Rengganis. From Depok, there was the Head of BAPPERIDA Dadang Wihana, Kadisporyata Eko Herwiyanto, history activist Boy Loen, and YLCC Chairman Revelino Jerincho Isakh.