Indonesia has a Big Clock twin like the one in London, England. The location is in the city of Bukittinggi, West Sumatra Province. In London it is known as "Big Ben", in Bukittinggi, it is called the "Jam Gadang". The Clock Tower has become an icon of the area. Not only is it pleasing to the eyes of the pictures, the Clock Tower is certainly no less beautiful to look at up close.

In its history, Jam Gadang was built in 1926-1927 at the initiative of Hendrik Roelof Rookmaaker, the city secretary or controleur Fort deKock which is now the City of Bukittinggi, during the reign of the Dutch East Indies.

The clock was a gift from the Dutch Queen Wilhelmia. The tower architecture was designed by Yazid Rajo M Transporto from Koto Gadang, an area not far from where the Clock Tower stands. The executor of the construction himself was recorded as Haji Moran with his foreman St. Ameh's Teeth.

Since its establishment, the 26 meter high clock tower has undergone three changes in the shape of its roof. Initially founded during the reign of the Dutch East Indies, the roof at the Clock Tower is round with a statue of a rooster facing east on it. The point is that the Kurai, Banuhampu, and Sarik Sungai Puar people wake up in the morning when the rooster crows.

During the Japanese occupation, the shape of the roof was changed to the shape of a Pagoda. Finally, after Indonesia's independence, the roof at the Jam Gadang was changed to a gonjong or roof on the Minangkabau traditional house, namely the Gadang House.

One of the uniqueness of the Jam Gadang is that the number four on the clock is not written as "IV", but rather the four letters I, or "IIII". The clock machine used in this monument is a rare item produced by only two units by the Vortmann Recklinghausen factory, Germany. The second unit of its type is still used in the legendary clock tower of the City of London, England, namely Big Ben.

Not everyone can enjoy the inside of the building and enjoy the "stomach contents" of this Clock Tower. Because, it is closed to visitors. Only certain people with the permission of the authorities can enter and climb to the top.

Jam Gadang building consists of 6 floors. The bottom part is similar to the building footprint. The next building is like a cube, each of which is slightly smaller than the bottom building.

To get to the top, we have to pass quite steep stairs and only enough for one adult's body. Getting to the top, the room gets narrower. But once you reach the top, wow ... the scenery that is presented is incredibly beautiful. We can enjoy the charming nature of the City of Bukittinggi.

Before reaching the top, we will pass an old wooden wardrobe. Therein contains a giant clockwork. The metal frame protrusions in the cupboard imagined me an ancient scale. A number of giant gears can be seen there. A small wire rope runs through the ceiling hole, connected to the end of the bat in the upper room to pull it against a bell when the short needle reads 00 o'clock. The bell is located on the top of the square building.

The copper bell reads "Vortmann Relinghausen, I.W Germany". Vortman last name Benhard Vortmann, the watchmaker. Recklinghausen, the name of the city in Germany where this movement was produced in 1892.

Nearly a century the Clock Tower building was standing and the clock is ticking. The bells never stopped ringing to announce the time to the townspeople. Managers clean the clockwork once every four months.


Fauzi Asmi, manager of the Clock Tower Quote:

“The treatment here is only serviced once every four months. So, 3 times a year… What we clean is this one, rust, dust, this is what we wash. Scale in four months "

The Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, Sandiaga Uno, who had the opportunity to climb to the top of the Clock Tower, shared his experience by saying:

"The Clock Tower is so incredibly beautiful. The scenery is very beautiful, the gadang clock is very iconic. The hike is epic, and the feeling is majestic. There is a splendor in itself to be able to see (two volcanoes) Merapi and Singgalang from there ”.