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200 YEARS OF THE GREAT POST ROAD
The Great Post Road is the road stretched from west to east at northern part of Java from Anyer to Panarukan along 1,000 km. Initiated by Governor-General Herman Willem Daendels, this road is passing through Serang, Tangerang, Jakarta, Bogor, Sukabumi, Cianjur, Bandung, Sumedang, Cirebon, Brebes, Tegal, Pemalang, Pekalongan, Kendal, Semarang, Denak, Kudus, Rembang, Tuban, Gresik, Surabaya, Sidoarjo, Pasuruan, Probolinggo and Situbondo.
Daendels was a marshal appointed as governor general of East Indies by Lodewijk Napoleon who ruling Holland at that time. The ultimate aim was handling military preparation in anticipating British navy attack that had blockaded Java Island. Daendels landed in Anyer in 1808 after routing a long trip from Cadiz in southern Spain, Canary Islands and then departing from New York using American vessel.
Daendels's most important military project in defending java from British attack was constructing a highway connecting west and east corner of this island. The road was built by means of obliging indigenous rulers to mobilize people along the route to work it by force. This road had sacrificed thousands life in nearly a year of its building process. Later, the road was renowned as the Great Post Road (De Goote Postweg) since Daendels also set off post and telegraph services at the moment of the making.
Since its operation in 1809, the road formerly intended for military purpose had become a main transportation infrastructure in java Island. This highway had witnessed traffic of commodities conveyed over it since colonial era till now. The road has play important role as one of crucial veins of Indonesian economy today.
