The National Monument, commonly known as Monas or Tugu Monas, is a 132-meter (433-foot) tall monument built to commemorate the resistance and struggle of the Indonesian people in achieving independence from Dutch colonial rule. Construction began on 17 August 1961 under the direction of President Sukarno, and it was opened to the public on 12 July 1975. The monument is crowned with a flame coated in gold leaf, symbolizing the eternal spirit of struggle. Monas is located at the center of Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta. The monument and museum are open daily from 06:00 to 16:00 Western Indonesia Time (WIB), except on Mondays when the monument is closed.