Snapshots of Tugu Muda Monument

Tugu Muda or Youth Monument is a stone monument that represents 5 days war heroes who struggled against Japanese troops who tried to occupied Semarang in the year of 1945. The monument itself is built about 5 years after the war. During Dutch Colonial Era, Tugu Muda site is reconized as a park called Wilhelminaplein.

The monument is situated in a main cross roads and surrounding with famous old buildings in Semarang City, such as Lawang Sewu, Randusari Church and also Pasar Bulu Market. Based on historical notes, the monument is situated at an old open ground from Dutch Colonial Era that is called as Wilhelmina Plein. At the south side of the monument, a glimpse of Gunung Brintik hill is shown as a green screen background with largest cemetry area in the town is hidden behind. An official residence house for Central Java Governor is now situated at the west-end side of the monument.

Nowadays, the monument looks elaborate within its garden and fountains and becoming a simple city landmark. It looks simply fresh when the citizen passing by the monument during busy hot days at Semarang City.

Snapshots to Tambak Lorok Fisherman's Waterfront Settlement

Tambak Lorok or Tambak Mulyo is a fisherman's waterfront settlement near the mighty power plant complex at eastern side of Semarang Harbor. The settlement compound could be directly accessed from the outer ring road.

Here is the place where traditional fishermen could placed their small boats along a water strip concealed away from the modern harbor area belong the Tanjung Mas Harbor. A dense fisherman's population is settled here under the shadows of the neighborhood gigantic chimneys belong to the power plant nearby. The scenery of container yard is shown as a back ground at north-west skyline.

There are dense housing, fish market, school and mosque are mixed each other near their boats that are made a port. This is their home ground where fishermen kids are found playing kites around the boat ports.

Actually, the existence of this fisherman's settlement is threatened by the expansion of Tanjung Mas Harbor. Future international harbor development may require this traditional fisherman's settlement to be relocated away from the current ground. Internal harbor area will be a restricted area for the traditional fisherman boats to sailing around.

Gigantic Chimneys at Tambak Lorok; Semarang's 'Icon' of the City by the Sea

When somebody pass the new outer ring road near the Semarang Harbor, a group of gigantic chimneys in white, red and blue colors are directly recognized at the sea side. Totally, there are 12 (twelve) big chimneys in a group and another 1 (one) or 3 (three) stand alone chimneys are found at the power plant area.

Definitely, this is not a heritage building complex from Dutch Colonial Era, but this is a thermal power plant from modern era that is situated at Tambak Lorok Semarang. The plant is built on 1978, but in the middle of this year the plant facing some inefficiency related problems that can make it closed down.

It seems this group of gigantic industrial chimneys are becoming a kind of new city 'icon' at sea side. Standing tall over the old lighthouse tower that is situated at about 1.7 km away from the plant.

Marabunta Warehouse, an Old Warehouse with Hundred Metres Long Facade

This warehouse is situated about 6oo meter from the lighthouse tower, at southern-end side and separated with a bridge and the outer-ring road across the harbor strip. This is about more than a hundred meters long facade that unify some warehouse buildings behind.

Nowadays, the Marabunta Warehouse appearance might be slightly concealed under the shadow of the outer-ring road existence. I think no more large ship could make a port to this warehouse anymore, since the harbor strip is definitely separated by the outer-ring road. Currently, this building might be separated from direct day-to-day harbor activities.

Only its long reflection on the water of the harbor strip remains visible as a part of its existence, particularly when somebody pass the outer-ring road over the harbor strip from the eastern-side direction. It seemed that the southern-end side of the building facade is already burned, hopefully the remaining parts of this building is still found in well-preserved.

Snapshots to Semarang Harbor

These are just simple quick snapshots during a walk through around the old lighthouse at Semarang harbor. The pictures are captured during my visit on July 2011. Pictures of medium size ships were docking in front of the light house at the river side might be part of the origin of the old Semarang harbor.

Typical large wooden ships are made a port including a Search and Rescue ship are shown and were directly docking in front of the light house. The appearance and glimpse of the lighthouse are shown in the harbor scenery. The place where the sips are made a port is part of 600 meter long harbor strip that spreading out from the bridge near Martadinata outer ring road at southern-end side to the opposite northern-end side of harbor strip.

Some imaginations might be raised in related with the history about this place. Maybe about Dutch's naval ships fleet that ever emerging and establishing their rule over this city and also about Admiral Cheng Ho from the Emperor of China that might be ever passed this river during his friendship visit to Semarang City.

King Willem's Lighthouse, Hundred Years Old Steel Tower at Semarang Harbor

At the west-end side of Semarang harbor, this hundred years old lighthouse tower is found and still standing tall. A white painted tower in decagonal shape that made off steel plate and steel framing works is still standing strong to watch seaside scenery around Semarang harbor. Based on history reference notes this lighthouse tower is built on 1879 according to permission of the Dutch's King Willems II and the construction works is completed on 1884.

This tower is one of hundred years old lighthouses in the world remain exist and well-preserved in almost good conditions. After more than a hundred years now, at least this tower is becoming an important witness about the importance of Semarang harbor's roles during Dutch Colonial Era. No doubt about it, this is one of the iconic heritages that are still found in Semarang City.

Gedung Pelni at Mpu Tantular Street and Remaining History of Old Dutch Colonial Shipping Company

Gedung Pelni is situted near Jakarta Lloyd Building, it's only separated with Kutilang Street. Gedung Pelni and GKBI Building are directly situated side by side. Thehistory of PT Pelni is closely related with N.V. K.P.M (Koninklijke Paketvaart Matschappij), a Dutch Colonial shipping company that is took over by the Indonesian Government. This is one of old Shipping Companies that are placed around the Old City Conservation Area.

The most interesting part of the building is the appearance of its main entry side that is marked by the existence of a tower at the building corner side. This entry corner is located at the intersection of Mpu Tantular Street and Kutilang Street. Another similar tower is situated at the opposite side adjacent to the neighborhood building, the GKBI building at northern side. The entry canopies are formed with curved shapes among overall building shape that is formed with strong geometrical shapes. High window with its wooden louvered leaves in rectangular shapes at lower floor level become remaining dominant elements to the facade.