Lawang Sewu
The former headquarters of a Dutch railway company, named 'Thousand Doors' for its countless windows and doors. It is Semarang's best-known colonial building.
Lawang Sewu was built between 1904 and 1919 as the headquarters of the Dutch East Indies railway company (NIS). It is called 'Thousand Doors' because of its many doors and windows. The building features fine stained-glass windows, tall arcades, and an underground cistern. During World War II, it was occupied by the Japanese military, and its basement was used as a prison. This gave rise to many ghost stories, and it became a popular night-tour site. It is now managed by Indonesia's national railway and houses a railway history exhibition. Admission is inexpensive. It is open roughly 07:00–21:00, and you can request a guide. It sits beside the Tugu Muda (Youth Monument) roundabout, so the two can be visited together.
Opening hours
07:00–21:00
Nearby sights
- Tugu Muda
- Kampung Pelangi
- Simpang Lima
- Great Mosque of Semarang (Kauman)
- Sam Poo Kong
- Loenpia Gang Lombok
- Semarang Chinatown & Tay Kak Sie Temple
- Blenduk Church