A pair of Dwarapala statues ready to welcome any travelers who come to Taman Monument Banjarsari (Monjari) Solo. One of the icons of Solo City is better known as Villa Park Banjarsari. The name is attached because a few decades ago precisely at the time of Mangkunegara IV the park was in the midst of a villa of European plantation workers.

In those days, the function of the land around the park changed from the racetrack to the dwelling. The racetrack is part of the Mangkunegaran Legion training ground. The legion was formed during the reign of Mangkunegara II funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

His troops came from former members of combat troops of Prince Sambernyawa (Mangkunegara I). The Mangkunegaran legion was then a force of 1150 personnel consisting of infantry, cavalry and artillery troops

Moving in the period of physical struggle for independence. A historic event occurred in this place, the Four Days General Attack that occurred on 7-10 August 1949. The initiator of the attack was Lieutenant Colonel Slamet Riyadi and his colleague Major Ahmadi who later became the national hero. To commemorate the event, the governance built Monument 45 in Villa Park Banjarsari.

Monument 45 Banjarsari is built by the Government of Surakarta on 31 October 1973. After three years of development, 45 Banjarsari Monument was inaugurated by then Central Java Governor Soepardjo Roestam on November 10, 1976, to coincide with the Heroes Day.

Monument 45 monument shaped roof of Joglo house as high as 17 meters which symbolizes Indonesia’s independence day. On the south side were built three statues of soldiers, youth fighters, and women carrying baskets (a place of rice) and medicine. Above it, there is a symbol of Garuda Pancasila attached to the monument. Under the statue of three fighters, there is a row of reliefs that are made of circular monuments. These reliefs tell about a series of important events of Solo people’s struggle since the war of independence until the New Order.

After the economic crisis of 1998, the park was slum because of street vendors. Eight years later, the Mayor who currently serves as President of Indonesia, Jokowi successfully curb the traders. The function of the park as a green open space is back again. Merchants were moved to Klithikan Market, Semanggi, Pasar Kliwon, celebrated in the form of a historic procession carnival on July 23, 2006.

Now, Monjari Park, the familiar name, is not only laid out but also features fountains, pedestrian paths, and green forests. The park is divided into four segments into a sports arena, a playground, a gym, and a city forest.