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