Unique fact:

1. Named after the color of the wood work of the interior NOT because of the red brick exterior.
2. Formerly known as one of the oldest Marine Academy in the world. The first Nautical Academy in the East.

In jalan Kali Besar Barat, Kota, Jakarta, which back in the era of VOC, it was the center of Batavia City, there is a building with a red colored facade. The name of the building is Toko Merah or Red Shop, located near stadhuis (Batavia Cityhall), still standing strong after 3 centuries.In its long existence, the building has been witnessing many important events in Batavia.

One incident that was just in front of the building, where the water of Groote Rivier (Kali Besar) flows, a big riots happened when there was a massacre of Chinese people in 1740 by VOC. Toko Merah also witnessed how bad the treatment towards the slaves in Batavia. They were traded and treated like animal. In this place, there were auctions for 162 slaves. In this Ciliwung creek, where the water was clear at those time, also once an area of many young people had their fun time playing their guitars and singing under the moonlight.

Toko Merah is rich of history that attracts many tourist and old building lover (that would be me! ☺). The building is actually consists of two combined houses. Its name derives from the red painted wood work of the interior. Built in 1730 by Gustaaf Willem Baron von Imhoff (1705-1750), who lived in the right or northern part far before being appointed Governor of Ceylon or Sri Lanka and during his term as member of the Council of the Indies (1736-­1741). His rich mother in law used the southern part. Later he installed the ‘Academi de Marine’ (1743-1755) in it in order to give a better education to the naval officers. This has been one of the oldest academies in the world.

Above is the two former company's chamber (now Numismatic room) in the National Museum. The doors, windows, and some furniture bought by the Bataviaasch Genootschap in 1901 are still exhibited in the Museum. The fanlight (right picture) shows a girl with a telescope, a reminder that Toko Merah was the first Nautical Academy in the East. This fanlight can still be seen in the National Museum at Medan Merdeka Barat.

Both houses were bought later by Philippine Theodora Mossel, the daughter of a governor-general, wife of Nic Hartingh, governor of the northern coast of Java. This name (Nic Hartingh) has an important role in Kraton Yogyakarta. But that would be another story.

In 1786-­1808, Toko Merah was used as an official guesthouse for men, which never flourished. After 1808 the house was owned and used by different companies till it was acquired by Oey Liaw Kong and his descendants (1851-1895). This may be why the name of Toko (shop) was added.

In 1910-1925, Toko Merah was rented by the Bank voor Indie and then by other companies (1925-­1933). The original white plastered wall on the front was taken away and the red bricks were painted red in 1923. In the same year some parts of the house which had been demolished earlier, were rebuilt using old material to create as near as possible the original atmosphere.

In 1934 Toko Merah was bought by the international trading company N.V. Jacobson van den Berg, which was nationalized in 1957. The company’s logo can still be seen on the balustrade of the staircase.

In Japanese occupation (1942) the building was used as a depot of medical equipment by the Japanese army. After 1947 the house was used by a state company, which since 1977 was named P.T. Dharma Niaga and kept the house in good condition till 2003. For a short time it became a gambling den. Its present use is still uncertain. I visited Toko Merah in June 2014, and the information that I’ve got from the guy who showed me around the building that they are renting the property for event. Well, hopefully the current owner is taking a good care of this beautiful two houses. If I may say.. why don’t they turn this building into a museum and share all the history of this building itself or the (once) oldest Nautical Academy. Sounds more useful.

Pictures above was when I climb the stairs in the office room of southern part house and led to a second floor with hardwood flooring facing the street and river on the front of the house.

Oh by the way, these (below) pictures are the rooms for rent for event function. I can see the current owner already made some redecoration and put up Air Conditioning. -SK-

References:

1. Heuken, A., Historical Sites of Jakarta, 7th edition, Cipta Loka Caraka, Jakarta 2007.
   
2. https://alwishahab.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/toko-­merah-­saksi-­sejarah-­voc/
   

Jakarta is a big and busy city. We often felt we knew every inch of the town where we were born, but we always found a new place that we never knew its existence before yet its been there decades ago. One of those places is this Dutch war cemetery in Menteng Pulo.

Ereveld Menteng Pulo is a field of honor for the Dutch armies who died when Japanese invaded Batavia in 1942. During those time, Dutch war cemeteries were all 22 places, scattered throughout the archipelago. Between 1946 and 1950 these were built by the Counts department of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army /Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger (KNIL). After the handover, in agreement with the Indonesian government, the remains were reburied at seven war cemeteries located in Java.

The seven war cemeteries are ereveld Menteng Pulo and ereveld Ancol in Jakarta, ereveld Leuwigajah in Cimahi, ereveld Pandu in Bandung, ereveld Kembang Kuning in Surabaya, ereveld Candi and ereveld Kalibanteng in Semarang.  From all these seven Dutch war cemeteries, ereveld Menteng Pulo is the most famous. This is mainly due to the Simultaankerk (Simultaan Church) and the adjoining Columbarium which usually make a deep impression on visitors.

The cemetery was built in 1947 initiated by Lieutenant General SH Spoor and finished in 1949. The Simultaankerk and Columbarium finished in 1950. The graves in Menteng Pulo are victims (both civilian and military) of the Japanese camps and Dutch soldiers who were killed in 1945-1949.

The Simultaankerk was built of white plastered brick. The construction was completed in 1950. Rectangular vessel terminates in an altar room. The highest point of the complex is the 22 meter high tower of the chapel. The entrance to the chapel consists of two doors that open outward. There’s an ironwork with the symbols of creation on both doors. On the right door, from top to bottom, the images of a bird, the animals of the land and the trees. On the left door, the fish, the plants and fruits. In the bell tower clock with the inscription hanging: "The gratitude of the people of the pious interpreter, I tamp over the graves of their allegiance to the red, white and blue bars here in dust and ashes."

Next to the church is the Columbarium, a two-part gallery with white columns. There are shelves with 754 urns containing the ashes of (Dutch prisoner of war) deceased in Japan and cremated.
Top of the columns are carved medallions. These contain different symbols. At first, the signs of the four major world religions. The other symbols relate to Life, Death, Time, the Immortality and Eternity. There is a pond in the middle of Columbarium.

In the corner of the gallery, there is a small square tower with a mosque dome-shaped roof. This building have urns of the unknown soldier. There is a niche on the wall with an urn tabernacle with a relief above it. The relief is a female figure with raised hands. She carries a burning torch on her right hand. Above her there’s a text “De geest heeft overwonnen” means The spirit has prevailed. This was the motto of the military graves department of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army.
On the right and left sides of the niche are two stained-glass windows with images symbolizing the reconciliation between the Indonesian and the Dutch people. The windows in the Columbarium and those in the church were made in 1950 by C. Stauthamer.

When we walked around the cemetery, we saw other war cemetery of British soldier. It is very next, side by side, and it only bounded by a wall of trees and small gate.

Ereveld Menteng Pulo is very quiet and peaceful in the middle of the bustling metropolitan city. For you who like to learn about history this place is worth a visit, and plus you can have a moment to enjoy the serenity before get back to our routine life. Please note, in order to visit ereveld, you will need a permission from the management (Oorlogsgravenstichting) by sending them an email. If you do visit this place, take a moment and sit on one of the bench on the garden. It is very peaceful. -SK-

Jakarta have so many colonial buildings. Some are well-preserved, some are neglected, some are only their names that left behind. For they’re no longer exist physically.

If you are on jalan Gajah Mada and passing the famous Gedung Arsip, around few hundred meters further, you will find a colonial house with Chinese traditional architecture inside a tall modern hotel building. The antique house is called Candra Naya, once owned by the last ‘Major’ of the Chinese community, Khouw Kim An.

Khouw Kim An was born in 1879 in Batavia, educated in Hokkien school but also speak Dutch fluently. In 1905 given a rank of a Lieutenant by the Dutch government, three years later got promoted became a Kapitein and by 1910 became a Major. Because of his last title, people called the house, Major’s House. He died in 1945, after being jailed by the Japanese for almost 3 years. Major Khouw inherit the house from his father, Khouw Tjeng Toan. From stories, Khouw Kim An came to live in this house not until 1934, where he lived in Bogor earlier.  

There is no definite reference that explain when was this house being built. But there were two possibilities, either it was built by Khouw Tjeng Toan in 1867, or by Khouw Tian Sek (father of Khouw Tjeng Toan) in 1807.

Looking at this beautiful preserved Chinese architecture (what is left), I'm enjoying all the details from the design. The ornament on the upper side of the wall all over the house must have some meanings. A chess board, a lute, a book, and a painting in scroll are symbols describing the owner of the house is intellectual, rich, knowledgeable, and understands art. (http://pluitcommunitymagazine.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/candranaya-peninggalan-sejarah-berarsitektur-tiong-hwa-abad-ke-19/)    

In Adolf Heuken’s “Historical Sites of Jakarta”, Major’s house is the first Chinese residence in Batavia and the largest one at that time. It consist of three houses (Old Tripartite Chinese Residence) arranged one after another and separated by inner courtyards and surrounded on two sides by long annex buildings. Narrow courts separate the main houses from these annexes. (Below)

Back in the middle of 19th century, the house was located outside the bustling city and it was in residencies area or luxury villa. The front courtyard was bounded by Kali Ciliwung, and every villa has its own boat dock. Batavia’s rivers were the main transportation facilities back then. (http://alwishahab.wordpress.com)  

After the Major died, the house was used for a social gathering of Chinese community called Sin Ming Hui (‘Sinar Baru’) in 1946. And the house’s name changed into Candra Naya in 1960 when at that time the spirit of nationalism was heightened by replacing every colonial names.     

Although Candra Naya is protected by the government as cultural heritage, in 1992 the house was bought by a developer and partly demolished to build a 24-storey hotel and apartment building. Only the first and second house have been left to stand inside the lobby. The residence changed ownership few times, and currently (2014) a chain hotel occupied the high rise building. -SK-