OLD CITY
Semarang's historic center features a diversity of historic buildings in medieval, colonial and modern styles.
Semarang's historic center, nicknamed "Kota Lama Semarang", boasts a diversity of historic buildings in various styles, encompassing the medieval (it was once a walled city), the colonial and the modern. This architecture is the result of a rich cultural and commercial intermingling of Javanese, Malay, Chinese and Arab traditions, and the influence of Dutch colonizers over a period of almost 350 years.
The old Dutch church "Gereja Blenduk" in Jalan Suprapto (south of Staiun Tawang) dates from 1753 and is crowned by a large dome. The baroque organ inside has long since fallen silent, and all that remains in the silence of this church are memories of the Christian faith to which the Chinese have rallied. Around the church, old buildings with balconies and old Dutch warehouses now occupied by shipping companies. Further south is Chinatown, where you can visit the Tak Kak Sie (Klenteng) temple with its guardians in wooden armour. This temple was built in 1772. Among the heavy fragrance of incense, statues of gods watch over the altars. The temple is located in Gang Lombok, a small canal-side street where you can still taste the Chinese atmosphere as you stroll among the small shops and restaurants. Not far away, the pasar Cina (Chinese market) is very busy from early morning. In the city center, the pasar Johar, opposite the Great Mosque, is a flea market.
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