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There are only 12 countries in the world crossed by the equator. But , there is only one city that exactly separates the northern and southern hemispheres, namely Pontianak. Pontianak, a developing port city on the Indonesian side of the island of Borneo, is the largest city on the Earth’s longest invisible line, the Equator.
Also known as “Equator City,” Pontianak is the capital city in the province of West Kalimantan. Standing a mere two miles north from the city center is a monument constructed to represent the otherwise conceptual Equator. The spot was first marked simply with an arrow on a pole in 1928 by a Dutch geographer when he visited Borneo.
The Equator Monument is located on Jalan Khatulistiwa, Pontianak, West Kalimantan. This is the zero-degree latitude of the earth of which exact line divides the southern and northern parts of the earth. The original monument is smaller in size, but there is a large building inside the complex of the Equator Monument.
All the history began in 1928 when a group of international expeditions from the Netherlands arrived in Pontianak. Their goal was to establish an equatorial point in Pontianak.

In the same year, the Equatorial Monument was built in the form of a milestone and an arrow on it. In 1930, the monument was perfected by adding a circle at the top of the monument. Eight years later, the monument was refined by using iron wood . Its height is 4.4 meters.

In 1990, a dome and duplicate of the monument was made 5 times larger than the original. Both these monuments, both the original and the monument, have a writing plate under the arrow showing the location of the Equatorial Monument on the east longitude.
At last the equatorial Monument had been accomplished and was inaugurated by the Governor of West Kalimantan , namely Parjoko Suryokusumo on the 21st of September 1991. Now, the complex of Equatorial monument is protected by Article 26 of Law No. 5 of 1992 dealing with the Heritage Objects.

Every March from the 21st to the 23rd and September from the 21st to the 23rd -23, the Equatorial monument becomes the site of the Sun Culmination Day. The culmination point is the point where the sun is right above the equator. When this natural phenomenon takes place, the shadow of the monument will 'disappear' for a few seconds although it is in the sun.

this also happens on the shadow of other objects around the Equator Monument. This becomes an exciting spectacle and exciting tours for the people of Pontianak and other tourists. Not a few of the visitors who saw their own shadow disappeared during this culmination day.

In addition, the tourists can also 'cross' the equator and then get a certificate. the name, the date and the time of crossing the equator monument are recorded in the certificate. This certificate serves as 'the plague for anyone who crosses the equator

No doubt, the Equator monument becomes a mandatory destination for the tourists which is located in the capital city of West Kalimantan. Do not forget to stop by this equator monument and enter this monument free of charge .