The Sweet Girl of Ancol Bridge also known as Maryam Si Manis Jembatan Ancol, is a well-known urban legend originating from Jakarta, Indonesia. This tale has its roots in the early 19th century during the Dutch colonial period when Jakarta was referred to as Batavia. The story revolves around a beautiful young girl named Maryam or Siti Ariah, who became a victim of tragic circumstances.
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Ridwan Saidi, the events that led to this urban legend occurred around 1817. Maryam was said to be an orphaned girl living with her mother in a pavilion owned by a wealthy merchant. At just 16 years old, she caught the eye of her employer, who desired her as a concubine. Refusing this fate, Maryam attempted to escape but encountered further danger when she met another wealthy man named Oey Tambahsia. He ordered his thugs to capture her after she rejected his advances.
In various versions of the story, it is said that Maryam was raped and subsequently killed by these thugs. Her body was disposed of near Ancol Bridge, which later became associated with her ghostly presence. The haunting began shortly after these tragic events, leading many locals to report sightings of a beautiful woman near the bridge.
Maryam’s spirit is described as appearing as a beautiful maiden who lures unsuspecting drivers into accidents on the bridge. Witnesses have claimed that they saw her beckoning them for help before vanishing mysteriously. This phenomenon gained notoriety particularly between the 1960s and 1990s when numerous traffic accidents were reported in the area, often attributed to encounters with her ghost.
The legend has been popularized through various media adaptations including films and television series that depict Maryam’s story in different lights—sometimes portraying her as a vengeful spirit and other times as a friendly ghost trying to assist those in need.