Immanuel Church, Jakarta


St. Emmanuel's Church is a Protestant church in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is considered one of the oldest churches in Indonesia. The church stands on the corner of Jalan Medan Merdeka Timur and Jalan Pejambon, formerly part of the 19th century Weltevreden district.

History

The first idea for the construction of the church was initiated by the Dutch Reformed and the Lutherans in Batavia. Construction phase started in 1834, following the design of J.H. Horst. The laying of the first stone was done on August 24, 1835. Construction of the church was completed on August 24, 1839. The Church was christened as Willemskerk to honour King William I of the Netherlands. It is considered one of the first civic building in the Koningsplein.
In 1843, a Bätz organ was installed. The organ was restored in 1985.
The church also keeps a Dutch State Bible printed from 1748 by Nicolaas Goetzee of Gorinchem.

Building

The all brick church is built in Indies Empire style. The church sits above a 3-meter foundation. The doors were made of solid teak wood decorated with brass for handles and keyholes.
The church has a circular layout with a diameter of 9.5 meters covered in grey marble tiles. Chairs are arranged circularly, with a lectern previously used by the Governor of Batavia.

Works cited