Pertamina Building; Old City Landmark under the Shadow of New 'City Landmark'

Originally, the building was nicely set-up in the junction point of five different streets, it makes the Pertamina Building with its feature tower appearance always easily recognized in many different view angles. The Pertamina Building is situated at Pemuda Street, an old main city street that originally is named as Bodjong Street.

Actually, the building is 'little brother' of The Pertamina Headquarters Building that is located in Jakarta. The size is smaller but typical facade details and particularly the feature tower where the company facade logo is placed are remain the same. Based on data excerpted from official website of Semarang Government the building is designed and built around 1930's during Dutch Colonial Era. Originally, the building is owned by BPM Shell before it took over by Pertamina, a Government Petroleum Company during Independence Era.

Currently, the building is slightly covers by the existence of new higher and bigger commercial retail building that is placed directly beside. During my youth on 1980's The Pertamina building still appeared in prominent spot of view. By that time, the neighborhood building was a low rise cinema theater, part of the cultural venues of Ngesti Pandowo, a local Javanese group of opera.