Sanpshot to Old Houses at Tanjung Street Semarang

Tanjung Street is just an about 440 meter long street, a short street that connects the middle part of the famous "Old Bodjong Street" or currently known as Pemuda Street to Imam Bonjol Street (also known as Pendrikan Street in the past time). Tanjung Street itself during Dutch Colonial Era is known as Genielaan. This name of street is related with a Dutch military dormitory complex for combat engineering corps or commonly known as 'zeni' corps.

Nowadays, not far from Pemuda Street intersection we can find a row of remaining old houses, well-preserved old houses with unique facade appearances. These houses are easily identified within the appearance of its rich detailing on wooden roof fascia. These decorative fascia are floating in a distance against facade wall behind and then creating nice shadow on the white walls.

Masjid Sekayu, a Small Masjid in the Middle of Kampong in Semarang City

History notes mention that in the year of 1413 a small simple Masjid have already established on the site where Masjid At-Taqwa currently situated at Kampung Sekayu Semarang. The Masjid is founded by Kyai Kamal during his duty to collect good quality teak wood materials for development of Masjid Demak. Kyai Kamal himself was officially appointed by Sunan Gunung Jati of Cirebon to assist Raden Patah as King of Demak for the development of Masjid Demak.

The name of Kampung Sekayu itself is related with the site during Dutch Colonial Era was known as a place where teak wood raw materials from other towns near Semarang are temporary collected for further trading purposes.

Decorative crowns on main roof top and tower roof top are some of original parts from old Masjid could be retained. Other prominent parts that are retained from the original Masjid are the existence of 4 (four) teak wood pillars in the middle of the Masjid that are currently covered with other new layers of teak wood clad. The Masjid is now vertically expanded and a mezzanine floor is inserted behind double space hall where 4 wooden pillars are situated.

Nowadays, maybe not too easy to find this Masjid in the middle of dense urban  settlement under the shadow of new Mall Building in the center of Semarang City. The existence of its tower with unique decorative crown from the past time maybe can help somebody who trying to find the Masjid.

An Old House on the Hill with Sea View Far Away

The house is situated on steep hill at Tanah Poetih hill street. Nowadays the street known as Wahidin Sudirohusodo Street, a transition street that connecting Semarang coastal plain area to Semarang hill city area. The house and its large courtyard is elevated on steep green hill. Somebody must take a long walk through a steep and long steps way before entering the verandah.

I remember during my childhood I ever stopped by on the pedestrian in front of this house. And I found stunning sea view within glimpse of big vessels floating on the sea. Imagine if I sit on a chair inside the verandah, may be I will nicely enjoy this stunning sea view better than I have found when I was standing on street pedestrian. When we open the Google Map and stretching a straight line from this house position to the beach line, we will find a certain distance about more than 10 kilometers.

Yes, it just a memory that comes from my childhood during 1970s. A memory from the past time when my grandfather took me on his grey colors Das Kleine Wunder (DKW) from the year of 1940s, an old mighty German made motor bike that could climbed steep hill street of Tanah Poetih. We stopped by at street pedestrian in front of this old house and pointing our fingers out to panoramic Semarang coastal plain area with blue-green Java Sea as a background. 

Jomblang Hill View

Pictures in this posting are taken around Jomblang-Candisari area where Jomblang Reservoir and Cantung Cemetery Hill are situated. Jomblang itself is an interesting area that comprises including a highland elevated area where dense settlement around steep Jomblang Hill side is located below the reservoir building and cemetery site. In this area we can find and experiencing a transition point between Semarang higher ground area and Semarang lower coastal plain area.

From the lower ground at the end of Mataram street we can see glimpse of lush frangipani trees that grow on Cantung cemetry hill with glimpse of of small copula tower belong to the reservoir building is found nearby. From the higher ground at 'slum' walkway around the 'kampung' settlement we can have wider view throughout most part of Semarang lower plain city area, including the emerging new apartment tower that will become the tallest building in Semarang City.

Around south-end side of Mataram Street, we can still find a remaining abandoned old big house facing to the commercial area across the street. An old house with large front courtyard that currently hidden behind messy temporary fenching and street vendor sheds. It seem a house came from the past time that typically is found and spread-out in some places in this city.

In my older blog posting I have mentioned about the goat market (pasar kambing) and Jomblang Reservoir; actually these two sites are situated not far from south-end side of Mataram Street and maybe becomes another 'hallmark' belong to the Jomblang Hill Area.

Remaining Old House at Sompok Lama Street (Part-3)

There is an old house in the street intersection of Sompok Lama Street and Manggis #1 Street near an open park with a hippopotamus statue. Seemingly, this is another well preserved remaining old house at Sompok Lama Street.The house is nicely hidden and set back behind lush trees and greenery belong to its front courtyard.

A cozy verandah is found in the east-end side of the house to make the entry door is recessed against the direction of the street. A suspended roof canopy is located at verandah entry opening. This roof canopy is simply suspended by the using of steel rods and turnbuckles. Typically, this kind of suspended canopy detail could be found in some another old houses, particularly in Semarang City.

It seems the living room area is elaborated as a protruding faceted part belong to the house facade. Tall rectangle wooden louvered windows in combination with window transom above and stone cladding below are becoming the major exterior part of the protruding living room.

Remaining Old House at Sompok Lama Street (part-2)

There is another colonial old house at Sompok Lama Street. It look well preserved in its original appearance including its rich details on building facade. The house is situated at Sompok Lama Street No.8, the location is about 60 meter from the other remaining old house previously described in this blog or about 100 meter from 'T-junction' of Mataram Street. The house is facing to the south.

Just like typical tropical house, a veranda is found as the front part of the house. This veranda is a covered open lounge space that is protruding from the main part of the building. Actually, this veranda is becoming an interesting part of the house. Rich detailing is found on its roof fascia where Gothic floral patterns at roof fascia with triangular shape that is combined with local Javanese patterns on wooden lower fascia under clay roof cover.

 Corinthian columns are also found and become another prominent elements from the house facade. These columns are found in rectangular shape and also in smaller round shapes around the protruding veranda.

Nowadays, the house is utilized as a kind of small public health service building. The house is easily recognized when somebody passing the street, it found as a white painted house with rich architectural detailing on roof facade and nice green landscaping on the courtyard. This is one of remaining old house from Colonial Era. A well preserved old house from Semarang old city master plan. I think some old houses with similar details also found in Kampung Kauman and Kampung Barusari as I have described in my older blog post.

Remaining Old House at Sompok Lama Street (part-1)

Sompok Lama Street is about 400 hundred long street within a 'T-junction' against M.T. Haryono Street. This is one of remaining old street in Semarang have originally planned by Thomas Karsten and became part of Dutch Colonial old city master plan. 

There are some colonial old houses are still found here. One of the house is situated at Sompok Lama Street No.21. Nowadays, this house is found as a house that painted in blue colors. The house building is nicely setback at about 15 meters from the street, it creates a nice and spacious courtyard in front of the house. A strong symmetrical composition is directly recognized where a kind of long covered verandah is placed in-between two block of rooms within attics at the right and left-end side of the house.

Based on Semarang Government official website, the architectural design style of the house is described as European Romanticism Style with strong influence of renaissance style. This is could be recognized by the existence of the attic window within arch shape and also the elaboration of external wall corners with stone cladings.

The existence of wooden roof fascia within its rich ornamental details are described as obvious influence of the local Javanese design. Combination of clay roof, wooden louvered windows and doors are actually makes this house appears in colonial-tropical style.