Megaria
Encyclopedia
Metropole is a historic multipurpose building complex in Jakarta
, Indonesia
. One of its main tenants is the 21 Cineplex
group, which operates the Metropole XXI movie theater
in the complex's main building. As a historic cinema, it has screened films during the first Indonesian Film Festival
(1955) and the 16th Asia Pacific Film Festival
(1970). Metropole is the largest remaining Art Deco
building in the city and was listed as an architectural heritage site by the governor in 1993. The 21 Cineplex also owned XXI Garden Cafe located in the building. Other tenants including billiard hall, barber shop
, and several restaurants; pempek
restaurant, chinese restaurant, and Javanese
grilled chicken restaurant.
owned by the 21 Cineplex
group. The theater once used a large space with an audience capacity of 1,700, but it has since been renovated and divided into six separate theaters holding fewer than 50 persons each. Two additional buildings are attached to the rear of the structure, with one being used as a performance space and the other housing offices and a supermarket
. The three buildings are located on an 11,800-m² plot of land and housed a total of 12 tenants.
building in Jakarta. The architect of the building was Liauw Goan Sing, but was often mistaken to be Johannes Martinus Groenewegen. The building was constructed in 1932 and given the name in Dutch
. The name was changed to Megaria during the presidency of Sukarno
, who carried out an anti-Western policy. In its early days, Megaria primarily screened films released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
. It was one of the theaters that screened films during the first Indonesian Film Festival
in 1955 and was a supporting theater when the city hosted the 16th Asia Pacific Film Festival
in 1970.
In 1984, the Kartika Chandra theater became the city's first cinema to apply the cineplex concept of having multiple theater screens. Megaria followed suit in 1986 and added a second screening space behind the already existing one. Despite this change, the theater did not enjoy the same success as Kartika Chandra and forced it to bankruptcy
. The complex would soon be absorbed into the emerging 21 Cineplex
theater network, managed by the company Subentra. Megaria officially became part of the network in April 1989 and was renamed Metropole 21. Its name later changed back to Megaria 21.
The governor of Jakarta declared the Megaria building as an architectural heritage site in 1993. Proximity of its location to offices of the three dominant parties during the New Order
—the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI), the United Development Party
(PPP), and the Functional Groups
(Golkar)—made Megaria a popular gathering location for students during the Reform movement in the late 1990s.
The Megaria building was listed for sale on 8 March 2007 for a price of . Although the city government did not oppose the sale and allowed for a possible change in the building's function, it forbade the new owner from altering the appearance, ornaments, or main structure. The sale was canceled in 2008, and the 21 Cineplex group extended its lease of the building. The company renovated the interior to match other upper-class cinemas under its management and also refurbished its exterior. The 21 Cineplex has established a higher upper-class cinema brand called XXI. Today the name change back to Metropole XXI.
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. One of its main tenants is the 21 Cineplex
21 Cineplex
21 Cineplex is the largest movie theater chain in Indonesia. It serves 29 cities in Indonesia.Along with the demands of the times, 21 Cineplex Group has conducted a number of improvements and innovations, among which are to form a network movie theater into 3 separate brands, namely Cinema 21,...
group, which operates the Metropole XXI movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
in the complex's main building. As a historic cinema, it has screened films during the first Indonesian Film Festival
Indonesian Film Festival
Festival Film Indonesia or known as FFI is an annual film festival organised by Indonesian Film Festival Committee...
(1955) and the 16th Asia Pacific Film Festival
Asia Pacific Film Festival
The Asia Pacific Film Festival, first held in 1954, is film festival held annually in an Asian country designated by the Board of Directors of the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia-Pacific.Awards are handed out for:*Best Film*Best Director...
(1970). Metropole is the largest remaining Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
building in the city and was listed as an architectural heritage site by the governor in 1993. The 21 Cineplex also owned XXI Garden Cafe located in the building. Other tenants including billiard hall, barber shop
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
, and several restaurants; pempek
Pempek
Pempek, mpek-mpek or empek-empek is a savoury fishcake delicacy from Palembang, Indonesia, made of fish and tapioca. Pempek is served with yellow noodles and a dark, rich sweet and sour sauce called kuah cuka or kuah cuko .-Origin:Pempek is the best-known of Palembang's dishes...
restaurant, chinese restaurant, and Javanese
Javanese cuisine
Javanese cuisine is the cuisine of Javanese people. In wider sense, Javanese cuisine might also refer to the cuisine of the whole people of Java Island, Indonesia; which also include Sundanese in West Java, Betawi people in Jakarta and Madurese on Madura Island off East Java...
grilled chicken restaurant.
Location
Metropole is composed of three main buildings. The main building houses a movie theaterMovie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
owned by the 21 Cineplex
21 Cineplex
21 Cineplex is the largest movie theater chain in Indonesia. It serves 29 cities in Indonesia.Along with the demands of the times, 21 Cineplex Group has conducted a number of improvements and innovations, among which are to form a network movie theater into 3 separate brands, namely Cinema 21,...
group. The theater once used a large space with an audience capacity of 1,700, but it has since been renovated and divided into six separate theaters holding fewer than 50 persons each. Two additional buildings are attached to the rear of the structure, with one being used as a performance space and the other housing offices and a supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
. The three buildings are located on an 11,800-m² plot of land and housed a total of 12 tenants.
History
Metropole is the oldest movie theater and largest remaining Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
building in Jakarta. The architect of the building was Liauw Goan Sing, but was often mistaken to be Johannes Martinus Groenewegen. The building was constructed in 1932 and given the name in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
. The name was changed to Megaria during the presidency of Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
, who carried out an anti-Western policy. In its early days, Megaria primarily screened films released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
. It was one of the theaters that screened films during the first Indonesian Film Festival
Indonesian Film Festival
Festival Film Indonesia or known as FFI is an annual film festival organised by Indonesian Film Festival Committee...
in 1955 and was a supporting theater when the city hosted the 16th Asia Pacific Film Festival
Asia Pacific Film Festival
The Asia Pacific Film Festival, first held in 1954, is film festival held annually in an Asian country designated by the Board of Directors of the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia-Pacific.Awards are handed out for:*Best Film*Best Director...
in 1970.
In 1984, the Kartika Chandra theater became the city's first cinema to apply the cineplex concept of having multiple theater screens. Megaria followed suit in 1986 and added a second screening space behind the already existing one. Despite this change, the theater did not enjoy the same success as Kartika Chandra and forced it to bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. The complex would soon be absorbed into the emerging 21 Cineplex
21 Cineplex
21 Cineplex is the largest movie theater chain in Indonesia. It serves 29 cities in Indonesia.Along with the demands of the times, 21 Cineplex Group has conducted a number of improvements and innovations, among which are to form a network movie theater into 3 separate brands, namely Cinema 21,...
theater network, managed by the company Subentra. Megaria officially became part of the network in April 1989 and was renamed Metropole 21. Its name later changed back to Megaria 21.
The governor of Jakarta declared the Megaria building as an architectural heritage site in 1993. Proximity of its location to offices of the three dominant parties during the New Order
New Order (Indonesia)
The New Order is the term coined by former Indonesian President Suharto to characterize his regime as he came to power in 1966. Suharto used this term to contrast his rule with that of his predecessor, Sukarno...
—the Indonesian Democratic Party
Indonesian Democratic Party
The Indonesian Democratic Party was one of the two state-approved parties during the New Order era of the late 20th-century in Indonesia.-Origins:...
(PDI), the United Development Party
United Development Party
The United Development Party , sometimes translated as Development Unity Party is a political party in Indonesia. It is an islamic party and currently led by Suryadharma Ali.-Origins:...
(PPP), and the Functional Groups
Golkar
The Party of the Functional Groups is a political party in Indonesia. It is also known as Sekber Golkar . It was the ruling party during Suharto's regime...
(Golkar)—made Megaria a popular gathering location for students during the Reform movement in the late 1990s.
The Megaria building was listed for sale on 8 March 2007 for a price of . Although the city government did not oppose the sale and allowed for a possible change in the building's function, it forbade the new owner from altering the appearance, ornaments, or main structure. The sale was canceled in 2008, and the 21 Cineplex group extended its lease of the building. The company renovated the interior to match other upper-class cinemas under its management and also refurbished its exterior. The 21 Cineplex has established a higher upper-class cinema brand called XXI. Today the name change back to Metropole XXI.