Equator Monument

Pontianak sits almost exactly on the equator, one of very few cities in the world that does, and a marker was first put up on the line in 1928 by a Dutch geographical expedition, replaced and enlarged several times since, with the present structure - four pillars carrying a ring and an arrow - built over the original in the 1990s. The event worth timing for is the kulminasi: around the equinoxes, on about 21 to 23 March and 21 to 23 September, the sun passes directly overhead at local noon and vertical objects cast no shadow at all for a few minutes, which the city marks with a public gathering where eggs are stood on end and people photograph their own absent shadows. Outside those dates it is a monument in a hall with a shop.

History

The first monument was built in 1928 by a Dutch geographer and completed in 1930 as a post with an arrow; it was rebuilt in 1938 to a design by the architect Friedrich Silaban, and in 1990 a dome was added to protect the original and a copy five times its size was built, opened on 21 September 1991 (Wikipedia, Equator Monument).

The main sights

• A marker on the line - pillars, ring and arrow over the 1928 original.
• The kulminasi - shadows vanishing entirely at noon around the equinoxes.
• A public gathering - eggs stood on end and shadowless photographs on the day.
• Pontianak's position - one of very few cities actually on the equator.

When to go

Around 21 to 23 March or September for the shadowless noon. An hour.

Practical notes

Outside the two culmination windows there is very little to see - a monument and a small display. Modern GPS puts the true line slightly off the monument. Pontianak is hot and humid year-round.

Nearby

Pontianak city and the Kadriah palace are across the Kapuas.

Key facts