Reconceptualizing Historic Port Conservation through the Maritime Cultural Landscape: Evidence from Semarang Port, Indonesia

Abstract The Semarang Port area is a maritime space holding historical, social, and cultural significance for the development of Semarang City. While preservation efforts previously focused primarily on protecting physical buildings or sites, the approach has now shifted toward a value-based model. These values are derived from an analysis that integrates tangible cultural heritage with intangible cultural elements. This study aims to reconstruct the maritime cultural landscape of the Semarang Port area, analyze its associated tangible and intangible cultural heritage, and examine preservation efforts. It employs a qualitative research design utilizing historical and cultural anthropology approaches. Data were gathered through observation, interviews, literature reviews, and documentation, and were analyzed descriptively. The findings indicate that the port area serves not only as a hub for economic activity but also shapes the community's maritime identity through historic buildings, traditions, and ongoing cultural practices. Preserving the area requires an integrated approach that combines the protection of tangible and intangible cultural heritage with community participation to ensure the sustainability of the maritime cultural landscape.