Lapangan Banteng

Lapangan Banteng, formerly Waterloo Square (Dutch: Waterlooplein) in Batavia, Dutch East Indies, is a historic area in Sawah Besar, Weltevreden in Jakarta, Indonesia.

It was the site of a statue to Jan Pieterszoon Coen, who won control of Batavia. Lapangan Benteng Park is located in the area. There is also a street named Jalan Lapangan Banteng.

There were two main squares in Weltevreden: Buffelsveld and Paradeplaats (Parade ground, later renamed "Waterlooplein" and now Lapangan Banteng. The squares took shape during Daendels' rule in early 19th century; Waterlooplein became the main parade and ceremonial square, while the Buffelsveld ("buffalo field") was renamed Champ de Mars due to French influence and used as a military exercise field.

Governor General Herman Willem Daendels originally intended to have the government centralized in Waterloo Square and had a palace built there. However the plan wasn't carried out by his predecessor and the construction was delayed and the mansion of van Braam in Rijswijk became the residence of the governor-general. Daendels Palace was later completed in 1828 to become the department of finance building. Hotel van den Gouverneur-Generaal (Hotel of the Governor-General) became the official name of the van Braam mansion. Daendels — known as an avid Francophile — built a new governor general palace in smaller version Chateau de Versailles or more precisely the French Empire style in Batavia, known as Witte Huis (White House) is often referred to Groote Huis (Big House). It is now Indonesia's Ministry of Finance office on the east side of Lapangan Banteng (Waterlooplein). He also renamed Buffelsveld (buffalo field) to Champs de Mars (today Merdeka Square). Daendels' rule oversaw the complete adoption of Continental Law into the colonial Dutch East Indies law system, retained even until today in Indonesian legal system.

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