The Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), hosted another session of its public lecture series, SeARCH (Public Lecture Series on Architecture), featuring the compelling and historically rich topic, “Three Centuries of Depok: A Legacy from Cornelis Chastelein.”
The event welcomed Jan-Karel Kwisthout, a graduate of Leiden University and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, who is also a descendant of the Laurens family—one of the freed Christian slaves of Cornelis Chastelein. In his lecture, Kwisthout delved into the legacy and three-century-long history of Depok.
“Depok is Cornelis Chastelein’s legacy to the freed Christian slaves, who became autonomous landowners in the 18th century. This legacy was essentially a protest against VOC policies at the time, reflecting Chastelein’s vision and ideology on humanity and development. Through this bequeathed land, Chastelein demonstrated that human values could be materialized in tangible ways, fostering a self-reliant and tolerant community,” explained Kwisthout.
Chastelein, a Dutch official of the VOC, granted freedom and land ownership rights to his Christian slaves in the 18th century as a form of protest against the exploitative policies of the VOC. This legacy not only provided land ownership rights but also embodied Chastelein’s vision of humanity and social development executed with great empathy.
According to Kwisthout, “The history of Depok was initially passed down orally from generation to generation until it was finally documented in books that preserve the historical journey of Depok over three centuries.” Through this lecture, Kwisthout elaborated on how Depok transformed from a simple community into an autonomous region, and how Chastelein’s ideology continues to resonate in its development.
FTUI Dean Prof. Dr. Ir. Heri Hermansyah, S.T., M.Eng., IPU, remarked, “This event highlights the importance of local history in shaping community identity and offers new insights into Depok, which is often overlooked by the wider public. Open to all, this lecture was attended by students, academics, and members of the general public who were eager to explore this humanistic aspect of local history.”
Public Communication Office
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia
