My hometown is Cirebon. I was born and grew up in there. Cirebon is actually located at the north coast of Java Island, close to the border of West Java and Central Java. Because of that, Cirebonese have their own dialects, combined from elements of Sundanese and Javanese. The name of Cirebon, meaning the water of tiny shrimps, is derived primarily from “Ci” or “Cai” meaning water and “rebon” meaning tiny shrimps. Because of that, Cirebon as known as “Kota Udang” (The Shrimp City). Most people in Cirebon live from trade sector and work in harbour, government, private sectors as in home industry batiks, famous with batik from Trusmi, Plered in western of Cirebon and rattans industry, oil industry, cement industry, and as a fisherman as a traditional livelihood. Cirebon has a great resource of sea, especially shrimps. Cirebon has a great resource of sea, especially shrimps. These shrimps are exported abroad to get so much income for city development and education.
Cirebon like other cities, has some historical places that can be visited. Cirebon has two major keraton (palaces), there are Keraton Kasepuhan (Kasepuhan Palace) and Keraton Kanoman (Kanoman Palace). Keraton Kesepuhan (Kasepuhan Palace), the traditional residence of the Sultan of Cirebon, was built in the year of 1529. Behind the Kasepuhan palace is Cirebon earliest keraton, Pakungwati, built by Prince Cakrabuana the Cirebon's Founder in 1445. The first Kasepuhan Sultan was Sultan Syamsudin. Where as the present is Sultan PRA Maulana Pakuningrat, SH. Kerat. Kasepuhan Palace has a large square field with road surrounding it. Formerly, the square used for public gathering and traditional ceremony. Another Keraton (palace) is Keraton Kanoman (Kanoman Palace) was built in 1588. It is located on the north side of Kesepuhan Palace with distance is not more than 100 m. This palace has the twin of Singa Barong train had named Paksinagaliman. The first sultan was Sultan Badriddin. At the present is Sultan Jalaludin. Near to the palace is the Mesjid Ageng (Grand Mosque), one of the oldest mosque in Java. Cirebon also has the great mosque. It’s Sang Cipta Rasa Mosque. It is was built on the order of Sunan Gunung Jati and followed the model of Demak Mosque. The unique one of this mosque is adzan pitu (seven adzan), adzan pitu is adzan by seven people. Another famous places to visit, there is Plangon. It’s located at the south of Cirebon. This place has so many monkeys. These monkeys can attract people to come and watch them. But you have to remember not to give them any food, because they can chase you for food if you do that. Cirebon has historical building, it is built as a fortress in 1702 and used as a base fro resistance against the Dutch, this stone and coral folly was cast in its present form in 1852 by a Chinese architect to serve as a pleasure palace cum hermitage for Cirebon’s rajas. This building is “Gua Sunyaragi” (Sunyaragi Cave). One of the remains of Dutch Colonialism in Cirebon is Balaikota. Now it is used as the office of the mayor of the city who called walikota. So, we have to ask for his permission before entering this building.
Cirebon also has many unique foods. Such as “nasi jamblang” (rice wrapped in wood leaves), “nasi lengko” (rice with bean-sprouts, tahu-dish of fried soya beans-, tempe-a cake of fermented soya beans-, and soy sauce), “empal gentong” (meat that mixed by kari and “kunyit”,it’s cooked in gentong -pot from clay-), “tahu gejrot” (tahu with brown sweet sauce and red onion), “sayur asem” (a typical Javanese sour soup which tastes a little bit sweet), and many more. The local cultures or local arts of Cirebon are "tarling" (combining the names of two of the gitar-guitar- and suling-bamboo flute-), “sintren” (dancing performance by dancer who possessed by the devil and if we threw logam money at her, she fall down, like this picture).
I’m sure that many people haven’t know this city yet.The city is almost always be passed every time any one wants to go to West Java or Jakarta from Central Java and any east cities of Java. Because of the weather of Cirebon is hot and windy. It’s better for borrow sunglasses, hat, and wear T-shirt or cotton clothes. I’m very proud with my city because it has many kind of culture and historical place
Good, thanks for posting.
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