The Black Portuguese Church where time stands still

Known as the “Big Durian”, Jakarta is Indonesia’s bustling capital city and is the political, cultural and economic hub of Indonesia. This steaming and constantly evolving city is a Pandora’s Box and one never knows what one will discover. The city is home to an eclectic mix of Bataks from Sumatra, Balinese, Timorese, Ambonese, and Madurese who together enjoy the nationality of Indonesian.

Just outside the city walls of Jakarta lies the 17^th century Baroque style Gereja Sion, better known as the Black Portuguese Church. Built in 1695 it is Jakarta’s oldest remaining church – which is still used for its original purpose of worship.

The Church was built to accommodate around 1000 worshippers of the so called “black Portuguese” – who were the natives and Eurasians brought to Batavia from various Portuguese Port Colonies in Asia. These slaves were later freed following their conversion to Christianity, by the Dutch, who took possession of these areas later on.

The exterior of the church is rather plain and is built from bricks and plaster. The tiles on the roof are of superior quality that has stood the test of time. The church itself rests on 10,000 round dolkens (poles). However the interior consists of ebony framing, copper chandeliers, granite flooring, and the original pipe organ. The beautiful and intricate wall paintings are courtesy of Ewout Verhagen – a Dutch merchant and artist. The ornately carved furniture was shipped from Taiwan.

Though over 2000 people were buried in the church premises in just 1790 alone, only a few tombs remain today.

The church may be relatively small, however it is beautiful in its simplicity and is rich in culture. The visitor travelling through Indonesia, and wishing to stay in Jakarta serviced apartments, will find it easy to explore the city at leisure. A Serviced Residence in Jakarta such as the Ascott Jakarta cater to every need of the traveller and seek to provide you with luxury and comfort in everything.