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December 8, 2024 | 12:05 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Lawang Sewu's underground room or basement is reopened for visitors starting December 3, 2024. This room is considered one of the most haunted in this old building in Semarang, Central Java. However, 10 years ago, the underground room was closed to the public.
KAI Wisata, the manager of this heritage tourist destination, announced that tickets to visit the underground room are priced at Rp50,000 per person. However, during December, KAI Wisata offers a 50 percent discount, making it Rp25,000 per person.
Tours of Lawang Sewu's underground room or Kelderverkenning must be accompanied by a guide. In addition, visitors are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as helmets and vests.
However, not all visitors are allowed to enter this area. Visitors permitted to enter must be at least 13 years old and maximum 60 years old, in good physical and mental condition. Individuals with special conditions such as a fear of dark or confined spaces, heart disease, pregnant women, or respiratory disorders are not allowed.
The 102-year-old lalijiwo mango tree in the Lawang Sewu building's yard. Photo: KAI Wisata
History of Lawang Sewu
According to KAI Wisata's website, Lawang Sewu is a historic building owned by PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) and managed by KAI Wisata. Formerly, this building served as the central office of the private railway company Nederlandsch-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij (NISM). Now, Lawang Sewu has been transformed into a museum showcasing a variety of railway artifacts from Indonesia's past to present.
Designed by Prof. Jakob F. Klinkhamer and B.J. Ouendag, the building consists of several structures forming the letter L. The main building began on February 27, 1904, and was completed in July 1907, while additional buildings were constructed around 1916 and completed in 1918.
This building features a unique design with numerous windows and doors for air circulation. Its abundance of openings is the origin of the name Lawang Sewu, which means a thousand doors in Javanese. In addition to its unique architectural design, Lawang Sewu is adorned with stained glass ornaments by Johannes Lourens Schouten, depicting the prosperity and beauty of Java, Dutch colonial power over Semarang and Batavia, maritime cities, and the splendor of railways. There are also pottery ornaments on curved surfaces above balconies, small domes at the top of the water tower covered in copper, and bronze decorations on the tower's peak.
The Story of the Basement
Kelderverkenning is an integral part of Lawang Sewu. Initially, the room located in Building B, the northern part of the structure, was constructed as a drainage system and cooling mechanism. However, when the Japanese took over the building in 1942, this underground area was repurposed into an underground prison.
Various myths surround this room, ranging from being a site of torture by the Japanese military, numerous ghosts, to having a passage leading to the Java Sea. The history and myths surrounding this underground room have piqued the interest of many. After being closed in 2014, Lawang Sewu's basement was reopened as a historical tourist destination. According to a post on the Instagram account of wisata.lawangsewu, the site is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The number of visitors is limited to only 750 per day.
Editor's Choice: Semarang's Lawang Sewu Reopens after Closure during PPKM
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