MAGELANG Municipality is today, April 11, 2021 celebrating its 1,115th Anniversary. It is the second year that the municipality marks its special occasion in a very simple way.
There are no carnival, no traditional dance performance, no crowd whatsoever, unlike in 2019 and the previous years.
The local government administrator only conducts ceremonies or formalities in its municipal agencies, beside installing several kinds of banners in certain places.
Thing that makes this year celebration seems, and feels, so different, is that the municipality has recently got its new leader, doctor-turned-mayor Muchammad Nur Aziz.
Mr Nur Aziz took the place of his forerunner Sigit Widyonindito, who finished his second mayoral term two months ago.
Historically, Magelang Municipality is one of Indonesia's oldest cities. It is between the fourth and fifth oldest.
Even if it is compared to Indonesia's capital city Jakarta, which will celebrate its "only" 494th Anniversary on June, Magelang Municipality is, needless to say, (very) much older.
The history of Magelang Municipality had its beginning in 906 AD, with the discovery of an inscription named Mantyasih.
The inscription is believed to be created (and written) during the reign of Medang Kingdom's Sri Maharaja Dyah Balitung.
Ter Muelen, which governed in 1906, to be known as Magelang Municipality's first leader.
Apart from its old age, conversely, Magelang Municipality becomes one of Indonesia's smallest cities, as the town covers an area of only 18.12 square kilometers.
Its population density is approximately seven thousands people per-square kilometers, making it the 4th most densely populated district in the province of Central Java.
Magelang Municipality is not to be confused with the neighbouring district, Magelang Regency.
Magelang Regency, which is led by a Regent, is almost 60 times larger than the area of Magelang Municipality.[sahrudin]
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