Randusari Cathedral, an Old Church Concealed Behind Lush Trees

As described in my previous blog articles, Lawang Sewu and Tugu Muda Monument are side-by-side city landmark. When we stand in the middle of Tugu Muda Park facing to the south where Kalisari Street is situated, we can see in the left side glimpse of a Church that is concealed behind group of lush big trees.

I think Lawang Sewu, Tugu Muda, Kalisari Cathedral and also The Military Museum are one part of iconic scenery in Semarang. This scenery always strongly captures when somebody pass the streets around this area. Different with Lawang Sewu that is strongly visible in every points of view, The Randusari Cathedral appearance is hidden behind dense and lush greeneries cover.

The Randusari Cathedral is one of remaining old building from Dutch Colonial era. As noted in the history, the building is built years after the completion of the famous neighborhood building: Lawang Sewu. Half part of the Cathedral is covered with natural stone cladding with remaining white masonry wall at the upper half pat below large sloping clay roof. This looks well-blends with surrounding green big trees at the front yard, Kalisari river at the outer side and also lush green vegetation blanket that covers "Gunung Brintik" hill far behind as background. Until nowadays, this town scenery looks still naturally blend with the existence of Kalisari flower market nearby as a city green corridor.

Remaining Architectural Old Details at Barusari

Barusari is a subdistrict near Kalisari Semarang that is accessible from Tugu Muda Monument (in front of Lawang Sewu) or Kalisari street in front of flower market. This article try to simply and randomly capture pictorial data in related with remaining architectural old details excerpted from various old houses and other old buildings at Barusari.

Some interesting old details such as wooden roof fascia and metal roof support with rich ornamental details are still found. These details are found from various type of building such as old house, institutional office and school building, scattered-out from the corner end of narrow alley and beside of the main street.

Pasar Kembang Kalisari, a green corridor in the middle of the city

Pasar Kembang Kalisari is a traditional flower market along Kalisari (Jl. Dr. Sutomo) main street. This market is situated about 100 meter from TuguMuda Monument. Pasar Kembang is actually a green corridor in the middle of the city, a green corridor that is formed under row of old tamarind trees.

Pasar Kembang Kalisari is approximately a half kilometers directly stretch-out along besidet he main street. The site is place directly across the tamarind trees pedestrian as a described in my previous article.

Various color of flowers, lush trees and green leaves always give everybody who pass the street a relieving and fresh ambience during hot days in Semarang.

Tamarind Trees at Kalisari Street

The old story said, Semarang name as a city is originated from two local words 'asem' and 'arang'. 'Asem' is local wording for Tamarind Tree and 'arang' is local wording for rare. Maybe, this is related with many of Tamarind Trees (Tamarindus Indicus) that could be found in many streets in Semarang, particularly along Kalisari street.

Kalisari street, at north-end side is directly facing to Lawang Sewu and Tugu Muda Monument, two major city landmarks. There is a street pedestrian across 'Pasar Kembang' (flower market) with old Tamarind Trees. Actually, now this row of Tamarind Trees are distracted with the existence of 'angsana' (Pterocarpus Indicus) trees.

This pedestrian is my walking route to go and return to my junior high school near Tugu Muda Monument from Kaligarang street near Kariadi General Hospital. There were a lot of tamarind fallen fruits could be found and collected during journey home from school.

Previously, I have calculated the number of Tamarind Trees at this pedestrian side and found about remaining twenty two trees still there at the pedestrian side across Kalisari flower market.......

Lawang Sewu, a building with thousand doors?

This is maybe the most famous landmark in the town, an old building from Dutch Colonial Era that situated in the middle of the town. "Lawang Sewu" meaning is the building with thousand doors. Lawang Sewu is started to built on 1904 and completely built on 1907.

Originally this building is an office for Nederland-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij (NIS), a Colonial Dutch's Train and Railways Corporation.After the independence of Indonesia, this building is took over by Indonesian Railways Corporation.

Before the building remain empty, Lawang Sewu is recognized as Military Headquarters. During its idle period, this building is utilized as exhibition site, old building heritage tour and recently is used as a film setting.