Jam Gadang (Clock Tower) Bukittinggi City

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Jam Gadang (Clock Tower) is a building of high rise tower with magnificent, distinctive Minangkabau roof, situated in the middle of the town of Bukittinggi. Clock Tower a landmark and symbol of the town of Bukittinggi, built on a hill called Mount Enclosure Buffalo at the time of the Dutch Government in 1827 by Contraleur (City Secretary) Rook Maker. From the top of the tower we can enjoy and see how beautiful nature around the town of Bukittinggi is decorated Mount Merapi, Mount Singgalang, Mount Sago and Sianok canyon. In addition, the Clock Tower is also useful as a guide for local communities to know the time. It is unique in the Clock Tower is the number 4 is written IIII.


In such a phenomenal building clock tower is called the Jam Gadang was built at the time, so that since the establishment of the Jam Gadang has become the focus of every person. It also resulted in the Jam Gadang used as a marker or landmark of Bukittinggi and also as one of the icons of West Sumatra province.

Clock Tower (Jam Gadang) was built in 1926 by architect Yazid Sutan Gigi Ameh. This clock is a gift from the Dutch Queen to Rook Maker, Controleur (City Secretary) Bukittinggi on the Government of the Netherlands East Indies first. Laying the first stone at this do Rook Maker's first son who was then aged 6 years.

Ground-plan (building footprint following the steps overlooking the Upper Market) from Jam Gadang is 13x4 meters while the height 26 meters.

Jam Gadang is engaged in mechanical and consists of four hour / four hour advance overlooking the four corners of the wind direction with each face at a diameter of 80 cm.

The clock tower has undergone several changes in shape at the peak. At first peak of this Jam Gadang is round and on it stands a statue of a rooster. When you sign colonize Indonesia, the Japanese occupation government to change it to shape pagoda top. At the time of independence, the shape changed again into ornaments Minangkabau traditional house.

Development of the Jam Gadang is said to spend a total cost of construction of about 3,000 Gulden, fantastic charges pertained to the size of the time. But it paid off with the famous Jam Gadang is a landmark that once a symbol or icon of Bukittinggi. Jam Gadang is also set as the zero point of Bukittinggi. The last renovation in 2010 by the National Heritage Conservation Indonesia (BPPI) with the support of the Government of Bukittinggi and the Dutch Embassy in Jakarta, and was inaugurated exactly on the anniversary of the town of Bukittinggi that to 262 on December 22, 2010.

There is a uniqueness of Roman figures at the Jam Gadang face this. When writing Roman numerals usually include the symbol "IV" to symbolize the four roman numbers, the Jam Gadang is labeled with the number four roman under the symbol "IIII" (usually IV).