Submarine Monument
The Submarine Monument, abbreviated as Monkasel, is a museum submarine located in Embong Kaliasin, Genteng, Surabaya. Located 333 in the city center, namely on Jalan Pemuda, right next to Plaza Surabaya, and there is an access door to the mall from within the monument.
Indonesia is known as a vast maritime country. The Submarine Monument (Monkasel) in Surabaya is a submarine on land, functioning as both a museum and a tourist attraction. This monument is actually a relic that still exists and can be enjoyed today, namely the submarine KRI Pasopati 410, one of the Indonesian Navy fleet built by the Soviet Union in 1952. This submarine was involved in the Battle of the Arafura Sea to free West Irian from Dutch occupation.[1]
The submarine was later brought ashore and turned into a monument to commemorate the bravery of Indonesian heroes. Monkasel is one of the unique and educational tourist spots in Surabaya[2]. Besides the submarine's interior, the monument also features a film screening about the battle that occurred in the Arafura Sea. Visitors are accompanied by a local guide available on-site.
There is a unique story behind the creation of the Submarine Monument. One night, Drajat Budiyanto, a former Chief Engineering Officer of KRI Pasopati 410 (made in Russia) and also a former Chief Engineering Officer of KRI Cakra 401 (made in West Germany), dreamed of being ordered by the Chief of Staff of the Navy at that time to sail this submarine along the Kali Mas River. This dream eventually came true. He was tasked with displaying the submarine next to Surabaya Plaza. This was achieved by cutting the submarine into several sections, transporting it to land, and reassembling it into a complete submarine.
KRI Pasopati 410
The Digital Library of Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (Digilib ITS) provides the following data about the submarine.
- Length: 76.00 meters
- Width: 6.30 meters
- Surface speed: 18.3 knots
- Underwater speed: 13.5 knots
- Full weight: 1,300 tons
- Empty weight: 1,050 tons
- Range: 8,500 nautical miles
- Fuel: Diesel
- Batteries: 224 units
- Armament: 12 steam gas torpedoes
- Torpedo length: 7 meters
- Torpedo launchers: 6 units
- Crew: 63, including officers [3]
History of KRI Pasopati 410
The Submarine Monument in Surabaya showcases a real submarine, KRI Pasopati 410, which was part of the Indonesian Navy's Eastern Fleet Division. It is a Whiskey-class submarine built in Vladivostok, Russia, in 1952. Before Monkasel was established, there is an interesting story about the captain of KRI Pasopati. It is said that one night, Drajat Budiyanto, a former Chief Engineering Officer of KRI Pasopati 410, dreamed of being ordered by the Chief of Staff of the Navy to bring this submarine through the Kali Mas River. This dream became a reality.
Drajat Budiyanto was then tasked with displaying the submarine at Surabaya Plaza. To do so, KRI Pasopati 410 was cut into 16 sections, reassembled at PT PAL Indonesia, and finally transported to the Submarine Monument site to be reassembled into its complete form.
KRI Pasopati 410 had been in active service since 1962, with primary tasks including destroying enemy lines (Anti-shipping), conducting reconnaissance, and performing silent raids.
On January 26, 1990, the submarine was decommissioned by the Indonesian Navy and converted into the Submarine Monument to commemorate the Trikora Operation, a military operation launched by Indonesia to oppose Dutch occupation in West Papua. The construction of Monkasel began on July 1, 1995, with the laying of the cornerstone by the Governor of East Java, Basofi Sudirman, and the Commander of the Eastern Fleet, Rear Admiral TNI Gofar Soewarno.
Three years later, the monument was inaugurated by the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy (KSAL), Admiral TNI Arief Kushariadi, on June 27, 1998, and opened to the public on July 15, 1998. Monkasel is currently the largest submarine monument in Asia. The monument's management is under the Indonesian Navy and is operated by the Naval Cooperative Center. [4]
Submarine Monument Facilities
The Submarine Monument is equipped with several amenities such as documentary film screenings, live music, and Kalimas river tours. The area around the Submarine Monument, or Monkasel, also includes various restaurants, souvenir shops, and ample parking space. The Submarine Monument or Monkasel has various facilities that visitors can enjoy, ranging from spacious parking lots to clean prayer rooms (musholla). Other amenities include toilets, smoking areas, photo spots, umbrellas, live music video stands, souvenir stands, a swimming pool, health protocol facilities, and water recreation in the Kalimas river.[4]
Operating Hours and Ticket Prices
The admission fee for the Submarine Monument or Monkasel is quite affordable for visitors. Since December 31, 2004, the entrance fee for the Submarine Monument has been Rp. 5,000.00 per person, including access to the arena, submarine, and documentary film screening. However, as of 2024, the ticket price is Rp. 15,000.00. This attraction is open to the public every day, and visitors can enjoy it from morning until night. The museum operates from 08:00 to 21:00 WIB.[4]
Daily Schedule:
- MONDAY – FRIDAY: 09:00 – 17:00 WIB
- SATURDAY – SUNDAY: 09:00 – 19:00 WIB
References
- ^ "Monumen Kapal Selam (Monkasel): A Dive into History". Monument Tracker. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
- ^ "Monumen Kapal Selam Surabaya, Saksi Kemenangan Operasi Trikora - Nasional Katadata.co.id". katadata.co.id (in Indonesian). 2021-08-23. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
- ^ Laily, Safrezi Fitra, Iftitah Nurul (2021-08-23). "Monumen Kapal Selam Surabaya, Saksi Kemenangan Operasi Trikora Halaman 2 - Nasional Katadata.co.id". katadata.co.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-02-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c Faizal, Achmad. "Mengenal Sejarah Monkasel Surabaya. Monumen Kapal Selam Terbesar di Asia!". www.goodnewsfromindonesia.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-02-24.
