Veteran Fisheries Dormitory, Traces of Colonial-Era Building in North Jakarta Once Dubbed the 'Devil's House'

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Amid the bustle of container trucks and dust swirling along Jalan Sungai Landak in Cilincing, North Jakarta, stands an old building hidden behind a row of other structures along the roadside.

From the outside, the site appears to be a densely packed, neglected settlement. However, upon entering the interior, a long corridor with a curved ceiling and remaining colonial-style walls is visible.

The large floor running along the corridor shows signs of age-related decay. In some areas, wall paint peels away, exposing the building’s old structure.

“Bapak saya dikirim ke sini tahun 1961,” said Sugiyo when Kompas.com spoke to him at the Veteran Fisheries Dormitory on Thursday (21 May 2026).

According to Sugiyo, his father was an army officer then stationed in the Lapangan Banteng area, Central Jakarta.

Sugiyo said that a number of soldiers were relocated to live in the complex in the early 1960s. He admitted he did not know the precise history of the building’s origins.

“Peninggalan Belanda aja tahunya,” he said.

Nevertheless, traces of colonial architecture remain visible in various corners of the building.

After exiting the main corridor, a veranda area with an old tiled roof supported by green-painted pressed iron is visible. Some roofs are already perforated and worn, but the iron structure remains sturdy.

Most residents continue to preserve the building’s original form even though repairs are carried out independently.

“If it leaks, we repair it ourselves,” he told Kompas.com on Thursday.

He said the condition of the building continues to age. Some of the tiles are starting to crack and crumble easily.