Kepodang Street View, a Forgotten Street of Old Dutch Colonial City

Kepodang Street and Sendowo street is situated in parallel each other, but Kepodang Street is placed more closer to Blenduk Church and directly situated behind Jiwasraya Building. But, it seem hidden from the prominent old city conservation area around Blenduk Church.

This is also a narrow street, but give the street walker a different feeling with rows of tall old buildings at both sides of the street. A narrow street in the middle of some old two-storey buildings at both sides. A text signage of "anno 1912"is still obviously seen on a facade of an old building. This remind us about a remaining old street and building from Dutch Colonial Era. Just like walking on the street in a remaining abandoned old town in Europe Land.



A street vendor spot is found at a street intersection that sells cocks for fighting. Actually, this is extended place from the neighborhood bird market at Sendowo Street nearby. Meanwhile, a long row of motorbikes parking lot is currently established in other part of the frontage street. Some of pedestrian terrace belong to an old tall building remains as an empty space, if not uses for bike parking space.


Some wild vegetative seem sprout-up over building facade with its roots strongly hold and spread-out over the masonry wall. Will this remaining piece of old colonial town are weather beaten and forgotten?



I have did an online search to find out, what are the original names of some old building have shown on the above photographs. Building have shown as 1st picture is "Toko Soesman" and the 5th picture is "Algemene Verzekering Mij Indische Lloyd". The 6th, 7th and 8th picture are "Nederlandsch-Indische Escompto Maatschappij".

Sendowo Street View; Bird Market and Remaining Pieces of The Old City

Sendowo Street is about 400 meter long of messy street at the outer perimeter of the old city conservation area. Currently, it looks like a concealed backyard belong to the 'old little Netherland' area.


Sendowo Street is accessible from Suari Street (a street that is perpendicularly placed against the famous Blenduk Church), and from the Suari Street intersection we can directly find bird market belong to the street vendors. A small street market under the shadows of remaining abandoned old buildings and pedestrian trees.



I think I found 'old city' become alive and transformed at Sendowo Street in another and different kind of its daily life. It looks alive maybe because the street is partially transformed as a bird market and place for the orange urban minibus passengers find its end route. Rest of that, there are only remaining abandoned aged old buildings keep standing in silence.

An Old Railway Office Building at the Edge of Salt Water Intrusion Swamp

Just a simple old two-storey building that is situated about 600 meters from Tawang Railway Station. The building is directly placed at the intersection of Pengapon Street and Ronggowarsito Street. Nowadays, this building looks as a stand alone piece at the edge of large salt water intrusion swamp.

With reference to a historical note, this building was known as formerly Hoofdkantoor N.V. Semarang–Joana Stoomtram-Maatschappij. A Dutch train company for Semarang-Juwana line. Juwana is a small city at eastern side of Semarang City. This company began in 1882 its business with the opening of the line in Semarang Djoernatan to Djomblang


Tall wooden louvered windows with curved plaster architrave are found at the lower and upper building levels. There is viewing wooden balcony deck surrounding almost at all building sides including its thin round metal support columns and its broken wooden railing.

Windows are also found on the metal roof box, it might be related with the existence of an attic inside the roof box structure. There is a remaining signage board at the balcony that indicates the building function as railway planning and engineering office.