Janjang Seribu ( Great Wall Bukittinggi )

Janjang Seribu ( Great Wall Bukittinggi ), Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Tourist Attractions and Beaches in Indonesia

This time we traveled to Janjang Saribu (Thousand Steps) Bukittinggi, appearing with the new-style Wall of China. Concrete fence walls shaped like Wall of China. Only, this Janjang Saribu steeper, shorter and not as wide as the Great Wall of China.

The only thing that has improved Janjang Saribu is in the Tower Koto, Agam regency, which is connected to the bottom of the canyon Sianok, Bukittinggi. Bunch initiated and funded by Tifatul Sembiring was inaugurated on January 27, 2013 who currently serves as the Minister of Communication.

Currently, a number of workers are in the process of finishing the first phase. Janjang Saribu new style has a width of 2 meters. On either side of the Janjang Saribu was built along 780 meters 1 meter high concrete fence. Although not yet completed the process of working 100 percent, but some residents have been using it for a bunch Saribu sports activities, recreation and other activities. 

For people who are trained to climb, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to get to the top. But for those who have not been trained and for those who rarely exercise, to get to the top takes 30 minutes to more.

Although today called Saribu bunch, but the number of steps in the janjang Saribu is not numbered a thousand, but only hundreds. Saribu bunch naming Koto Gadang only because of the many steps that almost reached a thousand. With the presence of new faces this Janjang Saribu, automatically Saribu long slender faces will be memorable. 

According to Saiful (82), one of the elders in Koto Gadang Agam, it is not clear when the Janjang Saribu Koto Gadang built. But he said there has been a Janjang Saribu since he was born 82 years ago. Ancient residents also never counted the number of steps when it was built. 

Saiful told, from the stories of old parents, slender Saribu has constructed the Dutch colonial era. At the time, the bunch is called slender rocky (bamboo ladder), because bunch of salt on the ground that time was supported by the neatly arranged bamboo.

Bunch itself was built in mutual cooperation, which was once used by residents Koto Tower and surrounding area as a shortcut to the river canyon Sianok and into the center of Bukittinggi. In those days, slender built Saribu relatively wide, with a width of up to 4 meters. 

"In the past a lot of people here who worked as a transporter of sand, taken from the River Gorge Sianok. If passed the main road so far, so slender built along a cliff canyon as a shortcut, "said Saiful.Not only crossed by sand workers, but the Janjang Saribu Koto Gadang was also used by the residents Gadang Koto, Koto Tuo and the surrounding area as a shortcut for residents to buy and sell agricultural produce to the Market Top of Bukittinggi. For residents who get their water in the river crosses the canyon Sianok Saribu the bunch. 

Development Janjang Saribu ala Wall of China is the idea of ​​MCIT Tifatul Sembiring, who is also a native son of Bukittinggi. Development does not use budget funds and budget, but the pure relief of Tifatul Sembiring and a number of businessmen in Jakarta who have worked hard to raise funds. 

The idea expressed by Tifatul Sembiring come unexpectedly. When Tifatul met Mayor Ismet Amzis in Bukittinggi Bukittinggi, Tifatul invited to exercise in the morning across the canyon Sianok. Seeing the beauty of the canyon Sianok it spontaneously Tifatul offer Sianok Gorges construction and renovation, which will be set up like a Wall of China. 

Tifatul promise that will build and renovate the canyon Sianok make Ismet not waste that opportunity. Do not wait too long, or MoU signing cooperation between Pemko Bukittinggi, Tifatul Sembiring and Agam regency finally done, because the canyon is between Bukittinggi and Agam District. 

The first phase of the development project carried out in the Janjang Saribu Koto Gadang Agam, which began in July 2012 ago. For Bukittinggi starting Apit Hill neighborhood. While the second phase will be, will be equipped with a bunch Saribu magnificent gates and other facilities. With a bunch of new faces Saribu is expected tourists in Bukittinggi and Agam District continues to increase each year.