Exploring Scintillating Semarang

#49 Travel Semarang Colonial European architecture — Colonial European architecture from earlier centuries still remains evident

Cheng Ho’s Legacy

Leaving the old city, we visited Sam Poo Kong temple located in Simongan Village. We toured the temple and the Stone House, which is believed to be where Admiral Cheng Ho – also known as Sam Poo Tay Djien – anchored and set up his headquarters when he visited the Java Islands with his crew and soldiers.

Admiral Cheng Ho was China’s key ambassador and diplomat to Asia and Africa with a fleet of 200 ships and a 2,700-strong crew.
The temple is called Gedung Batu (Stone House) because there is a big stone cave. This stone cave was where Admiral Cheng Ho meditated and prayed while he waited for his crew to prepare for the next journey.

While he was residing in the village, he taught the villagers agricultural and moral knowledge. When he left the village, the villagers glorified and worshipped him for the goodness he had shown to them.

More Culture & Sites

After visiting the temple, we went back to the hotel to prepare for the inaugural SilkAir flight dinner celebrations.
The next morning, we set off early and went on a road trip to Gedong Songo. The temple there is located in a Hindu cultural site on Mount Ungaran, Bandungan district.

While the name suggests nine temples, only five are still standing. The others are in ruins.

The site was originally built during the Sanjaya Dynasty, which controlled Central Java in the 8th and 9th Centuries. The temple was first discovered by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1804. It predates the famous Borobudur and Prambanan temple monuments, and is the oldest Hindu structure in Java.

The temple is flanked by lush natural surroundings. Hiking up-hill to the five temples on the highlands requires a lot of physical effort. Charter horse rides are available for comfortable sightseeing.

How to get to Semarang

Semarang is accessible via SilkAir and AirAsia, to the Achmad Yani International Airport.
International tourists visiting Semarang can transit via Singapore Changi Airport.