Blenduk Church

Blenduk Church
Immanuel Western Indonesia Protestant Church
Blenduk Church
Location in Indonesia
Coordinates: 6°58′5.28″S 110°25′38.98″E / 6.9681333°S 110.4274944°E / -6.9681333; 110.4274944
Location Semarang, Central Java
Country Indonesia
Denomination Protestant
History
Founded 1753 (1753)
Architecture
Functional status Active
Specifications
Number of floors 2
Number of domes 3
Number of spires 2
Administration
Parish 200 families (2004)

The Immanuel Protestant Church of Western Indonesia (Gereja Protestan Indonesia Barat Immanuel), better known as Blenduk Church (Gereja Blenduk) is a Protestant church in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. Built in 1753, it is the oldest church in the province.[1]

Architecture and layout

Blenduk Church, at 32 Letjen Suprapto Street in the old town of Semarang, Central Java, is located in a small courtyard between former office buildings.[1] The Jiwasraya building is located to the south, across the street, while the Kerta Niaga offices are to its west.[2]

The octagonal church, built on a stone foundation and with single-layer brick walls, has its ground floor at street level.[2] It is topped by a large, copper-skinned dome, from which it gets its common name;[3][4] the Javanese word mblenduk means dome. The dome is supported by 32 steel beams, 8 large and 24 small.[5] Two towers, square at the base and slowly rounding until topped with a small dome, are located on either side of the main entrance, while a cornice consisting of horizontal lines runs around the building; Roman-style porticoes covered in saddle-shaped roofs are located on its eastern, southern and western faces.[1] Blenduk also features etched and stained glass windows, as well as wood-panel double doors at the south-facing entrance.[1][2]

The wooden pews inside Blenduk have rattan seats, while the pulpit is completely made of wood and located on an octagonal platform made of teak.[1][5] A nonfunctional Baroque pipe organ from the 1700s is also located inside.[1][4] The floor is covered in black, yellow, and white tiles.[5] In the northern part of the interior is a spiral staircase, etched with name of its manufacturer, Pletterij den haag (Rolling Mill, The Hague), which leads to the second floor.[5]

History

Blenduk in c. 1940

Blenduk was established in 1753; the initial building had a joglo-style. Although meant for Protestants, Catholics also used it until the first Catholic church in the city, in Gedangan, was built.[1]

The church was later rebuilt in 1787.[1] Another re-imagining, spearheaded by H.P.A. de Wilde and W. Westmas, began work in 1894.[1] During this renovation, the dome and two towers were added.[1][4] Another series of renovations began in the early 2000s.[1] As of 2004, the church has 200 families in its congregation and holds regular Sunday services;[6] it is also a tourist attraction.[4] In 2003 the church celebrated its 250th year.[1]

Awards

In February 2009, Blenduk received an award for Best Maintained Old Place of Worship from the Central Java branch of the Architects' Society of Indonesia.[7]

Gallery

See also

References

Footnotes
Bibliography

External links

Media related to Blenduk Church at Wikimedia Commons

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