Unique Tourism Destination

Unique Tourism Destination

“Lawang Sewu Building, Semarang Central Java Indonesia”

A Thousand Doors A Thousand Ghost

The Newest Shape of Lawang Sewu 2012 (picture by Aryo Widiyanto)

             Lawang Sewu that means a building with thousand doors  was designed by C. Citroen, from the firm of J.F. Klinkhamer and B.J. Quendag. Construction began in 1904 with A building, which was completed in 1907. The rest of the complex was finished in 1919. It was initially used by the Nederlandsch Indische Spoorweg Maatschaappij, the national railway of the Dutch East Indies. At those times Dutch Occupied Indonesia for three and a half century.

            After the Japanese invaded Indonesia in 1942, the Japanese army took over Lawang Sewu. The basement of B building was turned into a prison, with several executions taking place there.  When Semarang was retaken by the Dutch in the battle of Semarang in October 1945, the Dutch forces used the tunnel leading into A building to sneak into the city. A battle ensued, with numerous Indonesian fighters dying. Five employees working there were also killed.

              After the war, the Indonesian army took over the complex.^] It was later returned to the national railway company.

             By 2009 the Lawang Sewu complex was in a state of considerable dilapidation.  Simon Marcus Gower, writing in The Jakarta Post, noted it as being "dark and evidently sick. Its white walls are faded throughout; blackened by pollution and neglect. Rendered walls are cracked and any wall paper has long since fallen away to reveal the red bricks beneath. Mould and weeds grow over much of the building and mice and rats are the chief residents."

The building soon underwent renovations to ensure that it would be profitable as a tourist attraction.  Governor of Central Java Bibit Waluyo mobilized several dozen soldiers to assist with the renovations; the soldiers focused on external repairs . Local residents were disappointed in the renovations, opining that it had lost its authenticity.

               On 5 July 2011 the newly renovated complex was inaugurated by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono. However, at the time only B building was available for tours. It is hoped to be a main attraction in the Central Javan Government's tourism program in 2013.

Haunting

                       Lawang Sewu’s Constructions devided  onto several areas called A,B, C and D The basement of B building, said to be haunted by  a “Thousand”  ghost  such as Japanese Ghost with their Samurai, a shadow of Netherland Troops march in the middle of the night, until local ghost like Kuntilanak ( a women ghost wearing white clothes and pale face) Genderuwo ( the Giant ghost fur all over their body) and so many  local myth that believe that this building is very scary.

Lawang Sewu is said to be haunted, with many tourists visiting to see the ghosts. Among the ghosts reported to inhabit the establishment are a Dutchwoman who committed suicide inside and "headless ghouls".

The old shape of Lawang Sewu during Dutch Occupation

                  In 2007, a horror film entitled Lawang Sewu: Dendam Kuntilanak (Lawang Sewu: Kuntilanak's Vengeance) was released based on the legend.   It told the story of a group of high school students from Jakarta who were trapped in Lawang Sewu after several had to urinate and featured ghosts of a Dutchwoman, a man with a ball and chain wrapped around his leg, and a kuntilanak

            So If you want to see this unique building which has a thousand doors and thousand Ghost, for having fun, or maybe documented in a movie, please dont be hesitated to visit Semarang Central java and call me Aryo Widiyanto at facebook :Aryo Widiyanto,  Twitter @aryo_widi or email via aryo_widi@yahoo.co.id.