Candra Naya: A heritage already forgotten?<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It is not easy to find the building even though it was once one
\nof the grandest Chinese houses in Batavia (old Jakarta).<\/p>\n
The building is listed as being located at Jl. Gajah Mada no.
\n188, but it does not help much as what one finds is not what one
\nwould expect of a cultural heritage.<\/p>\n
Candra Naya, which is a cultural heritage building as
\nstipulated by Gubernatorial Decree No. 475\/1993, is surrounded by
\ntall sheets of corrugated iron, while an unfinished hotel and 30-
\nfloor apartment block straddle the building.<\/p>\n
The Modern Group, which bought the property from the heirs of
\nthe Khouw family in 1992, was developing the hotel and apartment
\nblock.<\/p>\n
Construction has been stopped due to financial losses suffered
\nby the developer during the economic crisis, which first hit the
\ncountry in 1997.<\/p>\n
The private developer previously dismantled the left and right
\nwings of the building, and promised that they would be
\nreconstructed. The part of the building still left standing is
\nthe main building only.<\/p>\n
The building is apparently to be relocated to the Taman Mini
\nIndonesia Indah in East Jakarta. The plan has upset many people
\nconcerned with national heritage buildings.<\/p>\n
Nurhadi Sastrapraja from the City Culture and Museum Agency
\ntold The Jakarta Post that relocation of the building would
\nreduce its historical value to nothing.<\/p>\n
\"But we could only give a recommendation, nothing more than
\nthat,\" he said.<\/p>\n
What actually makes Candra Naya precious as a national
\nheritage?<\/p>\n
According to David Kwa, a heritage observer, the building was
\nunique as it depicted outside influences on the Chinese culture
\nin Batavia.<\/p>\n
\"It has many non-Chinese touches not found in pure Chinese
\narchitecture,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He mentioned the use of window shutters and window bars,
\nmarble floor, glass skylight, ironwork ornamentation, which are
\nvery much Indisch-style.<\/p>\n
\"Meanwhile, the curved, swallow-tail roof will not be easy to
\nduplicate by today's construction workers,\" said David, rejecting
\nthe relocation plan.<\/p>\n
The building was built at the end of the 18th century and
\nbelonged to Khouw Tjeng Toan, according to historian Alwi Shahab.
\nKhouw was not only a Chinese mayor, he was famous and wealthy.<\/p>\n
The Khouw family also owned other buildings in the area, such
\nas the building formerly used by the Chinese Embassy and the
\nformer casino that is now the SMUN 2 state high school.<\/p>\n
Research by the School of Engineering at Tarumanegara
\nUniversity reveals that Candra Naya had about 100 bedrooms, which
\nis unsurprising considering that the owner had 14 consorts and 24
\nchildren.<\/p>\n
Scott Merrillees in his book Batavia in Nineteenth Century
\nPhotograph, said the last Khouw family to live in the house was
\nKhouw Kim An, a member of the people's council (Volksraad) from
\n1921 to 1931.<\/p>\n
He died in 1941 and his son either sold or donated the house
\nto a Chinese social and education organization, Sin Ming Hui,
\nalso known as Candra Naya, which later became the early
\norganization of today's Tarumanegara University and Sumber Waras
\nHospital in West Jakarta.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/candra-naya-a-heritage-already-forgotten-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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