For millions of Indonesians, Hotel Indonesia Roundabout, widely known as Bundaran HI, is far more than one of Jakarta’s busiest traffic circles. It has become one of the capital’s defining landmarks, serving as a gathering place for public celebrations, sporting activities, demonstrations and daily urban life while symbolizing Indonesia’s journey toward modernization.
According to the Jakarta Culture Agency, the history of Hotel Indonesia Roundabout is inseparable from the vision of Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, who sought to showcase the country’s emergence as a modern and independent nation on the international stage.
In 1958, Sukarno initiated the construction of Hotel Indonesia, the country’s first internationally rated hotel, envisioning it as a gateway for foreign visitors and a showcase of Indonesia’s post-independence ambitions.
A large roundabout was later planned directly in front of the hotel, designed not only to improve the city’s urban landscape but also to function as a prominent public space reflecting national progress.
Construction of the roundabout began in 1961 as part of Jakarta’s preparations for hosting the 1962 Asian Games, one of the largest international sporting events ever staged in Indonesia.
At the time, the government sought to demonstrate that the young republic possessed the infrastructure and organizational capacity to host a major global sporting competition alongside more developed nations.
At the center of the roundabout stands the Welcome Monument, or Tugu Selamat Datang, which quickly became the area’s defining landmark.
The monument was conceived to greet athletes, officials and visitors arriving in Jakarta for the Asian Games while conveying Indonesia’s spirit of hospitality to the international community.
Renowned sculptor Edhi Sunarso was commissioned to transform the concept into a monumental work of public art. The bronze monument rises approximately 30 meters (98 feet) above the roundabout and features a man and a woman holding bouquets while waving in welcome.
Their gesture symbolizes the warmth, openness and friendliness that Indonesia hoped to project to visitors from around the world.
Another key figure behind the development of the landmark was Henk Ngantung, then deputy governor of Jakarta, who played an important role in designing the overall concept of the roundabout with a modern international architectural style.
One distinctive feature of the Welcome Monument is the orientation of the statues. The figures face north toward the National Monument, or Monas, symbolically welcoming those entering the heart of Jakarta from that direction.
Over the decades, the monument has become one of Indonesia’s most photographed public landmarks and remains closely associated with the country’s openness to the outside world.
On April 5, 2024, the Jakarta provincial government officially designated Hotel Indonesia Roundabout as a protected cultural heritage structure through Governor’s Decree No. 271 of 2024.
Covering approximately 14,461 square meters (155,660 square feet) and surrounded by a fountain basin measuring roughly 100 meters (328 feet) in diameter, the landmark now enjoys legal protection as an important part of Jakarta’s historical and cultural heritage.
More than six decades after its construction, Hotel Indonesia Roundabout continues to embody the aspirations of modern Indonesia. While it remains one of the capital’s busiest intersections, it also stands as a lasting reminder of the nation’s determination to present itself confidently to the world through architecture, public art and urban development.
