Jember Designates Five Historic Buildings as Cultural Heritage

RRI.CO.ID, Jember - The official designation of five historic sites as cultural heritage marks the first step taken by the Jember Regency Administration in East Java to comprehensively inventory the region’s historical assets. The policy is expected to encourage the assessment and registration of other historic sites previously proposed by the public.

The five sites include the Duplang Menhir, the Duplang Dolmen Burial Structure, and the Deres Temple Structure located across local villages. The other designated locations are the Water Tower at Tanjung Market and the building occupied by State Junior High School 10 Jember.

“The Jember Regency Administration has officially established the legal status and protection of five historic sites. This strategic step was marked by the ratification of the Decree on the Designation of Cultural Heritage by Jember Regent, Muhammad Fawait,” said Head of the Jember Regency Youth and Sports, Culture, and Tourism Agency, Regar Jeane, on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

One of the sites officially designated as cultural heritage is the Deres Temple Structure, located in Krajan Deres Hamlet, Purwoasri Village, Gumukmas Subdistrict, Jember Regency. The Shaivite temple is believed to have been built during the Classical or Majapahit period, between the 13th and 14th centuries.

“The designation was based on a comprehensive assessment and recommendations from the Jember Regency Cultural Heritage Expert Team (TACB),” he said, as quoted by Antara.

The ratification of the five sites represents a crucial milestone in reinforcing the region’s identity and preserving Jember’s historical heritage. The legal recognition provides certainty regarding institutional authority as well as physical protection for the historic sites.

“This ratification marks the starting point of our shared commitment. The next agenda is to manage and preserve these sites sustainably so that they remain protected, become better known to the public, and serve a useful role as educational resources and historical tourism destinations,” he said.

Regar explained that the achievement was expected to encourage the inventory and designation of other historic sites in Jember that had not yet been covered.

“Cultural heritage preservation is not solely focused on physical remains, such as building fragments or ancient objects. More importantly, it is an effort to preserve the collective memory, historical narratives, and foundations of Jember’s community identity so that they remain intact for future generations,” he said.

According to an appendix to the Regent’s Decree, Deres Temple, which was discovered in 1980, meets the criteria for cultural heritage designation. This is due to the site’s significant role in culture, science, education, and local history.

“The Jember Regency Administration is also assessing several other historic buildings proposed by residents for cultural heritage designation so that they can be properly preserved in the future,” he said. ***