Introducing Landmarks: The Tugu Yogyakarta's Popularity in Literature Review and Online Media

Abstract

This paper explores the cultural and urban significance of Tugu Yogyakarta, a famous monument in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Located at the city's main crossroads, Tugu Yogyakarta is essential to Yogyakarta's Philosophical Axis, symbolizing the city's identity and pride. This analysis examines the academic discourse and social media presence of Tugu Yogyakarta, highlighting the monument's historical, cultural, and urban importance. The study emphasizes the role of social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok in promoting the monument to a broader audience through visual and interactive content, with virtual reality (VR) technology discussed to provide virtual tours, increasing public engagement and awareness without time and distance limitations. The findings expose that academic literature, predominantly produced by Indonesian researchers, focuses on cultural heritage, urban design, and educational roles, while the topic is just starting to gain attention internationally. The social media analysis shows strong public engagement, with hashtags like #tugujogja widely used, reflecting the monument's cultural significance. This study combines a literature review with social media data analysis, making it a unique approach to comprehensively assess the monument's popularity and public awareness of its historical and cultural value. The social media data was analyzed using Gephi and Excel to calculate hashtag frequency and visualize network interactions. The findings show the critical contribution of Tugu Yogyakarta to the sustainability of cultural heritage preservation. The study highlights the synergistic relationship between academic research and the social media presence in promoting Tugu Yogyakarta, with digital platforms significantly boosting its visibility and public engagement. In conclusion, this study provides a multifaceted analysis of Tugu Yogyakarta, integrating cultural aspects, urban elements, and city marketing strategies. Successful promotion of the monument through academic works and social media can enhance heritage conservation and strengthen the public's engagement with Yogyakarta's historical landmarks.