Inscriptions a reminder of one man's dream house

Inscriptions a reminder of one man's dream house

At 86 years, Hotel Niagara is not nearly as grand as it must have been in its former incarnation as a villa for a wealthy Chinese trade baron.

Once the tallest building in the country (it is also said to have been the first in the then Dutch East Indies to have used a mechanical elevator), it still stands out among the more modern structures on Jl. Dr. Sutomo in the district of Lawang in Malang, East Java.

Ongko Budihartanto, whose family has owned the hotel for 40 years, shared with The Jakarta Post the priceless legacy of the hotel, build by the wealthy Liem Sian Yu.

While old documents have been lost over time, theprasasti ceramic epigraphs plastered on the wall of the first floor of the building, formerly the ballroom of the villa, tell of significant dates in its history.

There are five of them, all bearing Chinese characters.

The first inscription reads Jen sien Yen Ciang Ce. Thien nanlou. Sian Yu mei si juang, telling how Liem Sian Yu built the building of no compare facing south..

The second and third inscriptions attest to the date of completion -- 1918 -- and once again mention Liem.

The fourth inscription, Cung Hua Ming Kuo Ji Nien, means the building was built within seven years of the founding of the nationalist government in China led by Sun Yat Sen (he had overthrown the Manchu dynasty in 1911). The fifth once again refers to Liem.

Ongko said he heard that Jen Sien Yen, a female relative of Liem's, had overseen the building during its days as a villa, and initiated the making of the inscriptions.

"The name of Jen Sien Yen, however, is not found in the inscriptions nor on other ornaments in the building. The building really represents the identity of Liem Sian Yu," he said.

Liem was obviously trying to impress his peers in the ethnic Chinese community and their Dutch overlords by building a spectacular five-storey mansion, a considerable construction feat at the time.

"His European taste and style poured into the building structure and the interior design show how hard he tried to be accepted among high class society, the European class," Ongko said of the teak trader and owner of a sugar plantation.

"The floor marble was also imported from countries like England, France and Netherlands. And the doors, too, not only functioned for security, but also for decoration because they were richly engraved."

Fritz Joseph Pinedo, whose name is not mentioned in any inscriptions, was the man responsible for much of the villa's finery. The Brazilian-born architect, a Dutch national, was hired by Liem to design his villa (he also designed the beautiful building on Jl. Darmo Kali in Surabaya which is now home to the French Cultural Center).

Art nouveau became a design trend in the late 19th century in Europe, transferred to the colonies in Asia in subsequent years. It's wavy lines and use of foliate designs influenced Pinedo's choice of art, wood paneling and the ceramics plastered throughout the walls, as well as the marble floor.

If impressing others was Liem's aim, then he succeeded with its unique style and height. Not far from the building today, there is also a large old home of about the same age, also believed to have belonged to a wealthy trader, but its design is ordinary in comparison.

Situated about 491 meters above sea level, Lawang became a center for tea plantations during the Dutch colonial era. The Dutch found the cool climes to their liking (it was also ideal for growing European fruit, such as the famous Malang apples), and Lawang was a favored spot to break the journey from Surabaya to Pasuruan or Surabaya to Malang, another choice, cool hill retreat.

Unfortunately, time has not been kind to most of the old buildings in the city. Many have been demolished or are in ruins; the few that still stand along Jl. Pundowo and Jl. Kesawean are in a dilapidated state.

Liem hit hard times during the 1920s, perhaps due to the Great Depression, and moved to the Netherlands, leaving the building in the trust of relatives.

Many years later, Ongko's father, Ong Kie Tjay, bought the building and converted it into a hotel, which opened on April 23, 1964. The name of Niagara was given by Ongko's mother, Listyadharma.

"The name is inspired by Niagara Falls in America," Ongko said.

Ongko, who now runs an interior design agency, has remained true to his mother's last wish for him to take care of the building and its business.

For Ongko and his family, the name of Liem Sian Yu will always be part of the hotel.

"I would never change the structure of the building, even though I never knew and have no blood ties with Liem Sian Yu," Ongko said.

-- Indra Harsaputra