Lawang Sewu - The Exotic Old Art Deco Architecture
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An old relic of Dutch colonial buildings seen standing upright in the heart of the city. Dark, Empty, Exotic as well as mystic, and Haunted. The impression that is radiated from the Lawang Sewu, the name of an old building near Tugu Muda, Semarang, Central Java. The building is art deco and has so many doors that lined.
Literally, Lawang Sewu means a thousand doors, although the actual number of doors is not that much. The building was built in 1904-1907, and was originally used as the headquarters of the regional railway company Central Java region which is managed by the Netherlands, namely Spoorweg Nederlands-Indische Maatschappij or NIS. But after Japan’s power in Indonesia, this building was taken over and used as a basement water channels and detention & torture room.
This dungeon is a witness for the torture and massacre against the people of Indonesia, conducted by the Japanese army at the time of the enactment of forced labor or romusha. The atmosphere in this place made my hair stand on end, especially when entering a corner of the cramped space shaped like small pools that had taken prisoner.
After Indonesia gained its independence until 1994, this place had changed into office the Railway Department of Indonesia (DKARI) or PT Rail is now Indonesia. Had also used as the Office of the Military Area Command Facility (Kodam IV / Diponegoro) Regional Office (Regional Office) Department of Transportation Central Java. But after that, the building is left empty and neglected.
First, the impression haunted and mystical accompany this building, but once restored and used as a craft center in Central Java, Indonesia, is expected to suggest it slowly disappeared. Hopefully a lot of cultural heritage is increasingly visited by tourists, not as a haunted building, but because it has a very high historical value.
