Sumur Bandung

Mythic well at the heart of the original colonial road grid

A small, easily-missed pavilion at the intersection of Jalan Asia-Afrika and Jalan Banceuy houses the well — Sumur Bandung — that gives the city its name. The original well was tapped by the founding regent Wiranatakusumah II in 1810, and through the 19th and 20th centuries was treated with a mix of practical use and ritual reverence.

The pavilion you see today is a recent renovation, but the well itself is original and still produces water. Caretakers on duty will show visitors the wellhead and explain (in Indonesian) the rituals associated with it. Five minutes' visit, worth the detour if you are exploring the surrounding colonial-era core.

things to do sight
A story
Sumur Bandung — literally 'Bandung's Well' — is regarded by locals as the spiritual centre of the city. The settlement was founded on this spot in 1810 by the regent Wiranatakusumah II, who is said to have taken the water from this well to bless the new town. The well sits below a small pavilion inside the courtyard of the Bandung Indah Plaza area.