This photograph of Kali Besar, taken around 1870 by the photostudio Woodbury & Page, captures a bustling scene from the Kali Besar. On the left, the distinctive tower of the Stadhuis van Batavia (Batavia City Hall) rises above the rooftops. Kali Besar, meaning “Big River,” is the straightened and canalised lower section of the Ciliwung River in northwestern Java. For decades afterwards, Kali Besar faded into the background—a quiet relic of the city’s rich history, largely forgotten but still carrying the echoes of its once-thriving past. Kali Besar stands as a living testament to Jakarta’s layered history — from indigenous trading roots through colonial global commerce to contemporary heritage preservation.