Gedung Marba; Red Brick Building Near The Old City Park

As mentioned on Semarang Government's Official Website, Marba is actually an acronym of somebody's name: "Marta Badjunet". He was an Arab Yemenite trader, a famous rich trader during Dutch Colonial Era who is known as the initiator of this building existence on the age of 19th century. This masonry facade signage is still remaining there, at the entry corner side of the building.


The Marba Building is situated in the corner of a crossroad and most of its facades are facing to the Srigunting Park across the road. The building looks prominent enough, maybe because the color of red brick facade and its rich facade details. Visually, the red brick facade provide a nice color contrast against its white facade architraves and pilasters details. I think the building is also nicely set-up because the existence of surrounding green trees both in pedestrian and in the park across the street.



The entry facade of this Marba Building is slightly facing in an angle to the location of ex. "Der Spiegel" Building that is currently found in poor condition. It is different situation found in Marba Building, that fortunately is still found in relatively well-preserved condition and become one of visual point of interest in the scenery setting of Semarang old city conservation area.

Srigunting Park; A Green Park with Four Old Tamarind Trees

'Srigunting' is a local name of a local bird with its 'scissors-like' tail. The park is currently is named with a bird name maybe because surrounding neighborhood small streets nearby are named with bird names. The park itself is like a small green oasis in the old city conservation area and situated directly near "Gereja Blenduk" site.


There are four big old tamarind trees that is shadowing this open park area and become a main green point of interest around "Gereja Blenduk" area. The open space that is created by the park provide adequate exposures that makes the old buildings around the park are properly visible in its best angle of views.



During Dutch Colonial Era, this park is known as Parade Plein. The park is previously revitalized by local authority and another future plans maybe prepared. for some changes. At least until today the remaining four old tamarind trees are still existed there. Nowadays, Srigunting Park with its old big trees is still give enough shadows and keep the center of old city conservation area condition in comfortably fresh and cool during hot days at Semarang City.

Gereja 'Blenduk'; Where The Sunset is Happened inbetween Its Silhouette and Lush Tamarind Trees

No doubt about this building - known as "Gereja Blenduk" (a local naming means a 'Domed' Church) - should be one of famous iconic buildings from the remaining old city of Semarang. Currently known as GPIB Immanuel Church, a Church that is situated in the middle of Semarang old city conservation area that is built during Dutch Colonial Era. Many literature sand publications have already highlighted the existence of this building, particularly in associated with its architectural detailed appearances.


Obviously, The Church is carefully planned and designed as main point of interest in the midlde of the area. It was existed as a stand-alone 'loose' building in a kind of a small city square that is surrounding in a distance by other buildings nearby. Until today, somebody can always take a walk freely around the Church and acquires every details belong to the building in every angle point of views. The Church is almost has many spatially well-managed exposures, it can be nicely viewed from every streets that are directing to Church location.


During afternoon time, somebody who seat in the park nearby can always experiencing a sunset moment, when the sun gradually setting-down from the lush of old tamarind trees to the west concealed skyline behind the shadow of the 'Blenduk' Church.

The GKBI Building at Mpu Tantular Street

Batik is a kind of traditional cloth in Indonesia which is popular with its richness of patterns that are applied with particular wax-resist dyeing technique. Since long time ago, Java is very well-known place that produce many kind of batiks. Both batik craft making and its trading activities have already became important business in Java, especially in its local towns such as Surakarta, Jogjakarta, Pekalongan and some others. Seemingly, Semarang as a capital city of Central Java and as harbor was becoming an important place in related with this batik industry. Maybe this is a simple explanation in related with the existence of GKBI Building in Mpu Tantular Street Semarang.



As clearly indicated, a text signage of "Gabungan Koperasi Batik Indonesia" is still remaining embedded in its building facade. At least this describes previous owner of the building, The Association of 'Koperasi Batik' of Indonesia. At the other different side, a roof top signage with the acronym text of "GKBI" is also strongly visible at the top side feature tower.



The is building always clearly visible when somebody takes a walk or drive to Semarang Harbor and "Tawang" Train Station from mBerok Bridge. The building is situated about 200 meter from mBerok Bridge. This is a simple long building with its feature tower at north-end side. It seem un-occupied and maybe just getting older and older in the next few years.

Djakarta Lloyd Building and Hundred Years of Shipping Lines History

As history have noted, originally the building is built for "Stoomvart Maatschappij Nederland", a Dutch Shipping Lines Company in Colonial Era. The current owner of the bulding is PT Djakarta Lloyd, is also a Shipping Lines Company that owned by Indonesian Government. Might be this is an obvious evident that Semarang is an important harbor city since Dutch Colonial era.



The building situated directly beside of Bank Mandiri Building (former "Societeit de Harmonie" Building).The Djakarta Lloyd building is also placed in a corner-end of a 'T-intersection' street and has two facades that facing to two different streets. Main facade is facing to Mpu Tantular street that lead the daily traffic to Semarang Harbor and Tawang Train Station. While the other side is facing to a smaller street that will lead the traffic to the location of the famous "Gereja Blenduk" site

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PTP XV Building; and Hundred Years of its Reflection on "mBerok" River Water

Currently, the building is closely associated with polluted black water river which is existed in front of the building. Damaged asphalt road with its daily messy traffic of the 'orange microbus', a kind of urban mass transportation car are becoming day-to-day scenery around this old building. Street vendor's kiosks are stand in a row along the river bank at the opposite side of the building.



Despite most of the building details are almost in damaged and aged conditions, the remaining outline shape of the building is still reflecting its 'good-looking' appearance in the past time. There is a facade signage of PTP XV that is still embedded in the building entry canopy that identifying previous building owner. Actually, a severe damage is happened and it made one of its twin towers with 'doom-like roof' is already collapsed and the building have lost its original symmetrical shape.



History noted that this building is built during Dutch Colonial Era and originally owned by Cultuur Mij der Vorstenlanden NV before PT Perkebunan XV (PTP XV), a government-owned company took over the building ownership.



The black water river always reflects half of building shapes, since the slum kiosks are also reflected as well to cover reflection of the lower parts of the building. Wild plants are already grew on building roof and corner-end side of the building. After hundred of years, it seem the building is already end up to its old days, inline with changes of the urban landscape around the old city conservation area.

Old Building at Letjen Suprapto Street No. 1 near "mBerok" River Bridge

Possibly, this building is the second building that prominently visible from mBerok River Bridge after the existence of the former of "Societeit the Harmonie" Building. Obviously, these two buildings are becoming a pair of opening landmark when somebody take a walk from mBerok River Bridge to enter old city conservation area from the east-end side of Pemuda Street.

The entry facade is placed facing to "Societeit the Harmonie" and elaborated with strong vertical masonry louver patterns on its windows. Similar facade details are placed at building west corner-end side and it placed in slightly tilted orientation to facing "mBerok" River Bridge. With reference to an online literary notes, this building have originally identified as De Handelsvereeniging, an office of Trade Association and the Chamber of Commerce.

Seemingly, it looks like an empty building. Except maybe its east-end side part of the building that is partially occupied by a Lawyer Office. From "mBerok" River point of view, the existence of messy street vendor's belongings are become daily distractions that covers the real facade appearance of this building. It is become daily scenery today that the main corner of this building now is just becoming parking area of some 'becak' drivers who are waiting for their passengers. A 'becak' parking area under the empty facade flag pole.........