Ikada Stadium

Ikada Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, designed by Indonesian modern architect Liem Bwan Tjie. The name Ikada only appeared during the Japanese occupation as an abbreviation of Ikatan Atletik Djakarta (Jakarta Athletic Association). This field was established in colonial times by Governor-General Herman Willem Daendels (1818) and was first called Champ de Mars because it coincided with the conquest of the Netherlands by Napoleon Bonaparte. When the Dutch succeeded in reclaiming their country from France, the name was changed to Koningsplein (King's Field) but people preferred to call it Gambir Field, which is now immortalized as the name of the nearby train station. After the recognition of independence, it was used as a stadium for the Indonesian national football team as well as the Indonesian National Games in 1951. The capacity of the stadium was 30,000 spectators. It was the largest stadium in Jakarta before being replaced by Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in 1962. The stadium was demolished in 1963 to make way for the Indonesian National Monument. The site is now known as Merdeka Square.