Batavia, the Legendary Dutch East Indies Ship

The miniature of the legendary VOC ship: Batavia.

Although our beloved news and information channel is called "Borneo Travel," it doesn't mean we lack connections to other cities or regions beyond Borneo. Take Jakarta, for instance, which remains the capital city of Indonesia. 

This legendary city, known as "Batavia" during the era of Dutch East Indies colonialism, holds incredible legends and history.

A miniature model of the Batavia ship

One notable area is Old Town Jakarta, with its waterfront and Sunda Kelapa Harbor. There stands the office of the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, a majestic edifice from the 17th to 19th centuries. 

In this ancient building, now a museum, various historical artifacts can still be found, telling the tale of the VOC's and Batavia's glory. Among these artifacts is the Batavia ship.

This is a miniature model of the Batavia ship, displayed in the Governor's Office in Old Town, Jakarta.

As is well known, the Batavia was a ship of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC). It was constructed in Amsterdam in 1628 as the flagship of one of the company’s three annual fleets, setting sail on its maiden voyage to Batavia, the capital of the Dutch East Indies, that same year.

Coen was also highly committed to developing Batavia. He prepared a variety of city officials with the aim of ensuring an orderly life in Batavia. Furthermore, Coen desired that life in Batavia would truly reflect Dutch lifestyles with maintained morals.

Coen : Dispereert Niet 

He also emphasized Batavia as a serious company project. Coen projected that the presence of Batavia would establish a strong company. To demonstrate his seriousness, Coen introduced the city’s symbol on August 15, 1620. This symbol was accompanied by Coen’s motto: Dispereert Niet (Do Not Despair).

In addition to city governance tools and municipal courts, as mentioned above, Batavia also had its own city symbol and seal. 

This emblem was established by the central government on August 15, 1620, featuring a painting of a sword on a shield, surrounded by a cluster of brown and green flowers.

Later, behind the shield, there was a lion (as a symbol of a sovereign state) sitting on its haunches, holding the shield. 

Regarding the seal used by the Collele van Schepenen (City Council), besides depicting the above symbol, it also included an inscription along the edge in Latin reading "Sigillum Urbis Bataviae." This inscription means the seal of the city of Batavia. This information is detailed in the book Sedjarah Pemerintah Kota  Djakarta  (History of the Jakarta City Government (1958).