[5] The paved plaza surrounds the monument often host national events such as military and float parades, as well as civic demonstrations.

[9] In the late 18th century when the Dutch East Indies government moved their center of administration about 4 kilometres southward, from coastal old Batavia (now Kota) to Weltevreden (now Central Jakarta), they built several important buildings including the square.

[11] There were two main squares in Weltevreden: Buffelsveld and Paradeplaats (Parade ground, later renamed Waterlooplein, now Lapangan Banteng).

In 1942, during the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, the square was named Lapangan Ikada (acronym of Ikatan Atletik Djakarta or Jakarta Athletic Bond).

[12] His ambition was to make the Monas the tallest building in Jakarta, higher than Borobudur and larger than the Eiffel Tower.

Sukarno's layout for Merdeka Square was based on a plan initially developed in 1892 with diagonal streets radiating from the monument.

Except the railway station, other buildings in the square — such as the Ikada Stadium and sports facilities — were demolished to make way for the construction of the monument, and replaced by four segments of garden.

The street is called Jalan Silang Monas and separates the square into four parts: North, East, South, and West parks.

[11] The design of the parks stayed relatively unchanged from the 1970s to mid 1990s, and this situation led to the preparation of a master plan for redeveloping the square, established in 1993.

The 1993 master plan guided the ongoing renovation conducted in the late 1990s to the 2000s, and gave the Merdeka square its present look.

In 2002, after Megawati was elected president, the governor of Jakarta Sutiyoso built a high fence with gates and guards to enclose the entire square.

Military and float parades usually took place during the Jakarta anniversary around 22 June and Indonesian independence commemoration around 17 August.

The Juanda and Gondangdia stations are within a walking distance to the square, providing KRL Commuterline access via its Bogor (Red) Line.

With three city tour bus stops in Medan Merdeka Barat Avenue; in front of National Museum, on western and southwestern corner of the square, while a city tour bus stop located in front of Balai Kota Jakarta.

In the future, the Jakarta MRT is planned to operate Monas subway station on the western side of the square.