Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Semarang (Indonesia). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Lawang Sewu, Blenduk Church, and Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah. Also, be sure to include Vihara Buddhagaya Watugong in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Semarang (Central Java).
Table of Contents
Lawang Sewu
Historic landmark with guided tours. Lawang Sewu is a former office building in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. It was a head office of the Dutch East Indies Railway Co. and is owned by the national railway company Kereta Api Indonesia. Its predecessor, Djawatan Kereta Api, was seized every rail transport infrastructures and offices from Dutch occupation. Today the building is used as a museum and heritage railway gallery, currently operated by Heritage Unit of KAI and its subsidiary KAI Wisata.[1]
Address: Semarang, Pemuda Street
Blenduk Church
Also known as: GPIB Immanuel Semarang
Protestant church in Semarang, Indonesia. The Protestant Church in Western Indonesia Immanuel Semarang, better known as Blenduk Church is a Protestant church in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. Built in 1753, it is the oldest church in the province.[2]
Address: Jalan Letjend Suprapto No. 32, 50174 Semarang
Masjid Agung Jawa Tengah
Mosque in Semarang, Indonesia. The Great Mosque of Central Java is a mosque in the city of Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia.[3]
Address: Jl. Gajah Raya, 50166 Kota Semarang
Vihara Buddhagaya Watugong
Vihara Buddhagaya Watugong also known as Vihara Buddhagaya is a Buddhist temple located in Semarang, Indonesia.[4]
Address: Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan, Semarang
Sam Poo Kong
Also known as: Klenteng Sam Po Kong
Chinese temple with unique architecture. Sam Poo Kong, also known as Gedung Batu Temple, is the oldest Chinese temple in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. Originally established by the Chinese Muslim explorer Zheng He, it is now shared by Indonesians of multiple religious denominations, including Muslims and Buddhists, and ethnicities, including Chinese and Javanese.[5]
Address: Jl. Simongan No. 127-129, 50148 Semarang
Tugu Muda
Historical landmark in Semarang, Indonesia. Tugu Muda is a stone monument in Semarang, Central Java commemorating the struggle for independence by Indonesian youth. It was dedicated by President Sukarno on 20 May 1953 to commemorate the continuous five-day battle between the youth of Semarang and a Japanese battalion led by Major Kido from 14 to 19 October 1945.
Japanese forces drove the Dutch from Indonesia as the "elder brother of Asia"; however, the Japanese were crueler to dissidents than their Dutch counterparts.
The stone monument consists of a foundation, body and head. One side of the monument is done in relief, with ornamental ponds and gardens surrounding it.[6]
Address: Jl. Pandanaran - Jl. Sugiopranoto, Semarang
St. Joseph's Church
Also known as: Gereja Santo Yusuf Semarang
Catholic church in Semarang, Indonesia. St. Joseph's Church, also known as Gedangan Church, is a Catholic church in Semarang, Indonesia, the first such church in the city. Administratively, it is part of the St. Joseph's Parish in the Archdiocese of Semarang.
Constructed between 1870 and 1875 to meet the needs of Semarang's growing Catholic population, the red-brick church building was designed by the Dutch architect W. I. van Bakel and built at a cost of 110,000 gulden. The church grew extensively over the following fifty years, at first dominated by ethnic Europeans and persons of mixed descent but later having a majority indigenous congregation. As the Catholic population grew, the size of the parish diminished as new ones were established.
The church complex consists of, among other things, the church building, a presbytery, and a convent. St. Joseph's itself is highly decorated, including nineteen stained glass windows (including three dedicated to church's patron saint, Joseph), carvings showing the fourteen Stations of the Cross, and an altar imported from Germany. The single tower is home to two bells produced by Petit & Fritsen.[7]
Address: Jl. Ronggowarsito No.11, 50127 Kota Semarang
Giri Tunggal Heroes' Cemetery
Also known as: Taman Makam Pahlawan Giri Tunggal
Cemetery. Giri Tunggal Heroes' Cemetery is a cemetery in Semarang, Central Java. It contains the graves of military personnel and other persons deemed heroes by the Indonesian government, including the National Hero Albertus Soegijapranata. As of 2011 it has 1,843 interments.[8]
Holy Rosary Cathedral
Also known as: Gereja Katedral Semarang
Cathedral in Semarang, Indonesia. The Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, also known as the Holy Rosary Cathedral or Randusari Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral and the seat of the Archdiocese of Semarang. Finished in 1927 at Randusari, Semarang, Indonesia, it became a parish church in 1930 and a cathedral in 1940, when Albertus Soegijapranata was made the first archbishop of Semarang.[9]
Address: Jl. Pandanaran No.9, 50244 Kota Semarang
Tay Kak Sie Temple
Also known as: Tay Kak Sie
Temple. Tay Kak Sie Temple is a Taoist temple located at Jalan Gang Lombok, Semarang. The temple was established in 1746. This was originally only to worship the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin. This pagoda later developed into a large temple which also worshipped many Taoist Deities.
Tay Kak Sie name written on the signboard at the entrance of a large temple, with the record year of the reign of Emperor Dao Guang (Too Kong in Hokkien language) 1821-1850 of the Qing Dynasty is a name that means "Temple of Supreme Consciousness".[10]
Address: Jl. Gang Lombok, Semarang
Simpang Lima
Relax in park, Park