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Monumen Kapal Selam

The submarine Pasopati 410

 
Next to the Surabaya Mall is the Monumen Kapal Selam, a monument to Indonesia's naval history. The museum consists primarily of one of Indonesia's first submarines, the Pasopati 410. The Russian Whiskey class submarine was built in Vladivostok in 1952 and purchased by Indonesia in 1962 and saw service in the campaign to force the Dutch out of Irian Jaya (New Guinea), but according to at least one resource, the sub had never fired any of its torpedoes. Believe it or not, it was only decommissioned in 1990.

In 1995, the governor of Surabaya, which is also home to the navy's eastern armada, decided to convert the sub into a museum. It was reportedly cut into 16 pieces and trucked to its present location, where it was reassembled. I found the sub rather interesting, but I have to admit that its appeal may be quite limited. An added factor to be considered if thinking about visiting is that it is rather difficult moving through the interior. There are some tight squeezes and the small openings between compartments can be awkward to get through, to say the least. In addition, the guides do not speak English and there is little in the way of English signs.

If you do decide to pay a visit, you might wish to have a look at the bridge over the river next to the monument. It's not mentioned in any guidebook, but it appears to be one of the many old Dutch art deco structures you find dotted around the city.

Hours and Admission Fees

The museum is open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day. Admission is 5,000 Rupiah (0.55 USD).