The old town of Batavia (Batavia old) is not so great. Once surrounded the city wall and moat. The size of the area around the tower at the fish market Syahbandar Asemka Jl - Jl Stonebridge now. City of Batavia Plan was developed by Simon Stevin, on request of the board of the VOC in the Netherlands (1618). He was also sentenced to shipyards and hospitals, many lodging houses and shops (in P. troubled), two churches (inside and outside the castle) and a school (location unknown) to build.
The city is the ancient city, now the Museum of History. Two floors of the building in the center was completed in 1712. On the building itself is actually half-hall, the first Balikota is smaller and simpler, and was founded in 1620 and lasted only a few years.
Care at the start of operations in the town hall, and public affairs, the issue of marriage, justice and commerce, so that the people formerly known as the "House Talk". Then, the city also has a very scary prison will be used as a center of the militia or militia 1620-1815. The militia is composed of the Secretary and the citizens of other Dutch cities, people and people of different tribes Mardijkers companies. It includes, the militia of the Javanese, Bugis, a Malay and Balinese. Militia headquarters in the town hall and the field is used for a gym. In 1925, this building was the administrative building of City Hall West Java province, until the Second World War. Batavia City Council Medan Merdeka Selatan moved into place now walk alongside the government in Jakarta now.
When Ali Sadikin was governor, the restored building very well, and since 1974 the Jakarta History Museum. (source)