Meester Cornelis - Jatinegara

Jatinegara (originally known as Meester Cornelis) is a subdistrict (kecamatan) of East Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. The boundaries of Jatinegara are Bekasi Barat Raya - Bekasi Timur Raya - I. Gusti Ngurah Rai Road to the north, Kali Sunter to the east, Kali Malang canal - Jakarta-Cikampek Tollway to the south, and Ciliwung River to the west.

Jatinegara tram station 1800

Jatinegara railway station, one of the biggest railway station in Jakarta, is located not in Jatinegara Subdistrict, but in Matraman Subdistrict. The station is located on the boundary between the Subdistrict of Jatinegara and Matraman.

There is also an administrative village of Jatinegara located in Cakung Subdistrict, but this is not related with the Subdistrict of Jatinegara.

A residence for the princes of the Sultanate of Banten exists in the area in the 17th century. The name Jatinegara came from Jatina Nagara which means "the might of the state", symbolizing the power of the princes of Banten to fight against the Dutch colonials.

 Meester Cornelis Station 1872

During the Dutch colonial period, the area was known as Meester Cornelis, after Cornelis Senen, a Calvinist schoolmaster, preacher and landholder from Lontor Island (Banda Islands). In 1656, Senen was granted a land along the Ciliwung, with total area of 5 square kilometers, about 12 km southeast of the fort of Batavia. As a landlord, he received the title Meester. The land was used mainly for loggings. Meester Cornelis Senen died in 1661, but his name stuck to the territory and the area was known as Meester Cornelis since then.

During the 18th century, Meester Cornelis was known as a military territory, with residential areas, wide roads, and a rural character. A buffalo market, known for its "Thursday Market", was built in the old area of Meester Cornelis in 1706. A fort was built in 1734. The commander of the fort established an entertainment facilities around the fort, including a playhouse. In 1746, an encampment for soldiers who suffered from malaria was built in this area because of its higher altitude and drier air quality.

De Militaire School in Meester Cornelis Batavia

An artillery school was built in 1805. In 1810, General Daendels (1762–1818) established this territory as the center of defense against a possible attack by the British. The main point of this defense system is the Meester Cornelis fort. British attack occurred in 1811. In 1820, the fort was transformed into a prison.

Meester Cornelis Military School was opened in 1852 and later closed in 1892. It was not the first military school in the Dutch East Indies, but it was the most successful one. One third of the students were born in the colony, the majority came from the Netherlands, one tenth were other Europeans, mostly from Germany. Most students were from the middle class. The school was later closed because of financial problem: only one in three students graduated, so the costs per student were unacceptably high.

Straatgezicht met tram in Meester Cornelis Batavia

Since 19th century, Jatinegara has become one of Batavia's key transportation node. A horse tram was established in 1869. The tram connected Meester Cornelis to Kota Intan (the "Diamond City", the oldest Dutch settlement in Jakarta), via Harmoni. On 31 January 1873, the Dutch East Indian Railway Company established a railway from Meester Cornelis to Buitenzorg (now Bogor). 

The focal point of this line is Meester Cornelis Station (now Jatinegara Station), one of the four oldest railway stations in Jakarta. On 6 April 1875, a connection between Meester Cornelis and Batavia was inaugurated, establishing a railway connection which connects the old city of Batavia with Buitenzorg. In 1881, a steam-powered tram was established, connecting Kota Intan to what is now Jatinegara through Glodok, Harmoni, Pasar Baru, Pasar Senen and Kramat. On 6 April 1925, electric train was operated for the first time, serving 15.6 km route from Port Tanjung Priok-Jatinegara and 2.6 km route from Jatinegara to Manggarai. The numerous public transportation lines that served Jatinegara indicated the significance of this area at that time.

In 1905, Meester Cornelis is a town with its own council in 1905, just like Batavia. Meester Cornelis was first governed by a Resident-Assistant, and since 1922, Meester Cornelis was governed by a mayor. Some of these mayors are Mr. M. of Doorninck (1922–1932) and Mr. G. Pitlo (1933–1935). In 1935, Meester Cornelis was officially administered by the government of Batavia.

After the transfer of sovereignty to the Republic of Indonesia on 27 December 1949, Meester Cornelis was renamed Jatinegara.