Tegal, Administrative city in Central Java, Indonesia
Tegal is an administrative city on the north coast of Java in Indonesia, spreading across an area that runs from the sea to the first low rises inland. The streets run parallel to the shoreline and are lined with residential neighborhoods, markets and small workshops.
The area developed from a village called Tetegual into an agricultural settlement under the leadership of Ki Gede Sebayu beginning in the 1530s. Its position on the coastal route later helped it grow into a regional trade center.
Residents speak Bahasa Tegal, a language variant with words and phrases heard only in this part of the coast. Many of the older timber houses with their open-lattice walls show the traditional way of building in this climate.
The city sits on the northern coastal highway linking it to other places along the north coast, and has a railway station with connections to Semarang and Jakarta. Those walking around will find most shops and workshops along the streets running parallel to the shore.
Numerous small metal workshops produce tools and machine parts that are sold in shops and storage yards along the side streets. The hammering and grinding from the open workshops shape the sound of many neighborhoods during the day.
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