Ever since Bandoeng has been developed as a resort city the Braga street was already an attractive commercial center, some priceless photos since 1907 shows significant chronology developments. These photos has been meticulously collected through out dozen possibly hundreds of sent postcards to many European cities by Priambodo Prayitno. This gentlement has even quoted to hunt the sent postcards to as far as Germany and every photo is presented with background story.
Each background story tells us unique heritage piece of history on building particularly as well as a glimpse of surroundings living memory, then Priambodo goes adding the existing photo of today time. The glimpse even shows trendy things in the era such as that relevant to our topics on Air Vent Inlets typically used on 1920s buildings. Those who know the area either today or in the past will eventually suffer a sort of time warp experiences; very interesting!
For example judging by the parking cars parade above it tells you immediately from the 1930s era; look how pristine those heritage 1910 Fords. Visible on photo is the then bakery shop but make no mistake there were Chrysler and Renault car showrooms in the area as well indicating that Braga St in early 1900s had transformed from muddy street for buffalo carts into well known window shopping area for world wide brands. Incidentally the photo above is the collection of Adityawarman Thaib.
Braga St lays further South to the so called “Old European District”, a jargon which has been coined by an anonymous Dutch Indies expert and dully used through out my heritage articles, and it is no wonder that even today thousands of Jakartans Flock to Braga Street side Promenade regularly
Sources: ..by the courtesy of..
Braga 1907 by Priambodo
http://djawatempodoeloe.multiply.com/photos/photo/190/93
Braga 1935 by Priambodo
http://djawatempodoeloe.multiply.com/photos/photo/190/95
Braga 1935 parking cars parade by Adityawarman
http://tyawar.multiply.com/
Another large Department Store J.R. de Vries & Co located at Groote Postweg next to Braga (now Asia Afrika St.) provided the European at the time from household goods, shoe repair service, butcher shop to even Chevrolet cars. De Vries was in operation from 1895 right up to the demise of De Vries senior in mid 1925s and perhaps well beyond 1930s by his family; actually it did not resemblance to Department Store entity but rather it is believed as a Shopping Mall, it might had been the first upper class Mall at the time.
Today we just learnt that the brand Chevrolet has in fact survived GM downsizing axe, unlike another of its brand the Pontiac was eliminated. Both brands are old enough to carry heritage “legacy”, where as Chevrolet is just recently revived its sport coupe division that known as the Fifth Generation Camaro. Other automakers which showrooms were mentioned above is remain to be seen for Chrysler, but not for Renault though. Time Warp….. Braga Heritage and Automaker Heritage!
