The Struggle of Independence Museum in Renon Bali

Hello all steemians, I would like to share my visit to Bajra Sandhi Museum, in the town where I live.

What unique about this museum officially opened in 2003 is that it is shaped like a bell. It is one giant bell located in a middle of a square in Denpasar. You can see the shape of this building clearly from afar.

From the main street, walking toward Renon Square, you can see the entrance to the museum. First you will see two statues of mythical figures that you can find in almost every gate in Bali. These figures are called dwarapala or door guardians.

The way to the museum is guarded by the statue of dwarapala or the guardian spirits.

When I went to the museum, there was hardly anybody else since it was early morning. I walked passed the guardian, then I met a security staff near the split gate or the entrance. I showed my tour guide ID and he let me in into the museum.

There was another gate inside the first gate I walked through. In fact, there are four gates in the museum main building in every direction. The main gate for the building was on the southern side, there were three more in east, west and north.

the Bajra Sandhi Museum or the struggle for independence of Balinese people.

in the centre height was about 45 meter. There were bamboo construction there, for museum maintenance work.

There were many pillars supporting the museum building.
A closer look to the gate for entering the main museum building.

A small pavilion on the corners to look around the museum and the flower garden.

This photo I took from the small pavilion in the corner. It showed the first gate and the second gate. At the far back, there was another small pavillion.

There were stairs in each stairs that you can walk to enter the main museum building. I took few steps and I arrived in a door to main building.

The door to the main building.

THE ROUND STAIRS TO THE TOP CHAMBER

I was particularly interested in the round stairs that lead to the top of the building. You could follow this stair to go to the top chamber.

The round stairs viewed from the first floor.
This stairs leading to the round stairs to the top chamber.
The side view of the stairs.
The starting of the round stairs.
Arriving on the second floor looking down to the stairs there were interesting pillars.

I get myself in to the round stairs. I walked through stairs that goes round and round the for about less than a minute until arrived in the chamber on the top. It's about 40 meters above the ground, while the total height of the building was 45 meter.

getting out from the round stairs arriving in the top chamber. Looking down from the round stairs as I walked up to the top.

View of the Denpasar city from the top chamber.
Pillars supporting the top of the building. There were carving of the weapons of the "nine gods" on the ceiling.

At the end of the round stairs, there was only an empty round chamber with pillars i the middle of it supporting the roof of the building. ON the ceiling close to where the pillars there were sculpture of "weapon of the nine gods". The Balinese believe that there is a god in every direction, for example, GOd Vishnu resides in north, God Iswara is in the east.

This top chamber has glass windows along the wall. And from the windows I could look far away to the city of Denpasar. Houses, business center, government offices, tress, streets down below were visible in the distance. After spending few minutes looking at the city view, I started descending the stairs.

THE DIORAMAS

I went back down until I arrived at the other end of the stairs down in the second floor. The second floor was designed to display dioramas. There were 33 dioramas in this hall and they tell story about Bali from past to the present. It highlight the struggle of the Balinese in taking part to reach Independence.,

The dioramas shows how people live from 3000 BC

Hunting and food gathering, 3000 BC.

Putting the dead into sarcophagus, 3000 BC

Forging metal for tools, 2000 BC.

The starting of Hinduism

The Kingdom era (monarchi)

The final holy battle against the enemy: victory or death.
The war to protect home land.

The rule of Japan.

Finishing the the dioramas, I went back to the first floor and took my leave. Thanks, now you have a glimpse of Bali history.