- Address: Jl. Katedral No.7B, Ps. Baru, Sawah Besar, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10710, Indonesia
- Phone: +62 21 3519186
- Denomination: Roman Catholic temple
- Year of foundation: 1901
- Height: 60 m
In the center of the capital of Indonesia - Jakarta - is the Cathedral (Jakarta Cathedral). It is the main Roman Catholic church in the country. Officially it is called the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the locals call Gereja.
general information
The modern building of the shrine was consecrated in 1901. The cathedral was made of wood and brick in place of an ancient church, which was founded in 1827, and destroyed at the end of the XIX century. The temple was built in the style of neo-Gothic and has the form of a cross.
The building was reconstructed several times (in 1988 and in 2002). The church received the status of the Cathedral of Jakarta after the placement of the episcopal chair in it with an armchair for the bishop. It is meant for reading sermons. Inside the temple, remarkable acoustics are formed due to high ceilings in the form of arches located above the main nave. The divine service is held here under:
- fascinating sounds of the neo-Gothic organ, which was brought in from Belgium in 1988;
- chants performed by the church choir.
Facade description
While visiting the two-story Cathedral of Jakarta, you will be able to fully experience the grandeur and scale of the building. The main entrance to the church is in the western part. It is decorated with intricate ornamentation and laconic lines. The walls of the church are built of red brick and are lined with plaster. They show applied patterns.
In the center of the main portal there is a sculpture of the Virgin Mary, and crowns his quote, made in Latin. The symbol of the Virgin is the rose (Rosa Mystica), which adorns the stained glass window on the facade of the building. The temple has 3 carved spiers:
- two of them reach a height of 60 m and are located on the extreme portals;
- the third spire is in the eastern part of the shrine, its height is 45 m.
They set the visitors to a solemn and serious mood. All pointed elements are located on wide minarets. The highest of them are called:
- the ivory tower - is located in the southern part of the church and means the purity and strength of the Virgin Mary;
- Fort David - is in the north side and symbolizes protection and shelter from the forces of darkness.
At the corners of the towers you will see high buttresses, which are decorated with stucco molding. On one of the minarets there are ancient clocks working till now.
The interior of the church
Inside the Cathedral of Jakarta there are columns, passing into arched vaults. Uniqueness of the interior is added and a variety of pilasters. The most interesting places in the temple are:
- In the southern part of the church there is a statue of Our Lady, which holds the crucified Jesus Christ.
- Near the central pulpit you can see an unusual picture: below are the stories from Hell, in the middle - Jesus and the disciples in the sermon, and in the upper part the angels are depicted in the Kingdom of Heaven.
- In the church there are 4 confessional chairs and 3 altars, the main one of them was made in the XIX century in Holland. All the walls of the church are decorated with frescoes and painted with episodes from the life and life of the Saints.
Features of visit
The Cathedral of Jakarta is visited not only by local parishioners, but also by tourists. Here, services, confessions and communions are held, as well as rites of baptism and weddings. On the second floor of the temple there is a historical museum dedicated to Roman Catholicism in Indonesia. Visiting the shrine is necessary with closed knees and shoulders.
How to get there?
The church is located in the center of the municipality of Central Jakarta in the Konigsplan district. Near the temple are the Istiklal mosque (the largest in all Southeast Asia) and the famous palace of Merdek . From the center of the capital to the Cathedral can be reached by road Jl. Letjend Suprapto or bus number 2 and 2B. The stop is called Pasar Cempaka Putih. The journey takes up to 30 minutes.