A participle of Europe in the Indonesian city is a Catholic Church of the Nativity also called Gereja Kelahiran. Although Surabaya has a lot of interesting religious and architectural monuments, the lovers of the unusual will like to see this building. Due to the abundance of traditional Indonesian temples, the unexpected neo-Gothic style can astound!
The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (that’s the full name) was built from red brick in the 19 century. Beautiful stained glass windows, openwork towers and arches, typical for the neo-Gothic style – all these transfers from the Asian island to the Old World for some time.
The fact of the appearance of the catholic church is not entirely usual for this place, but not exceptional either. More than 90 % of Surabaya locals are Muslims. Nevertheless, there are several catholic temples in the city, and Gereja Kelahiran is the oldest.
In the 19 century, along with the growth of the Roman Catholic community in Surabaya, the believers required the construction of a larger church building. In 1822, the congregation was able to build a new church, now located at the intersection of Jalan Kepanjen and Jalan Kebon Rojo Streets. But this temple was not enough. In 1889, pastor C.W.J. Wenneker bought a piece of land from the colonial government for 8,815 guilders, north of the former church. The new temple was supposed to replace the old older one, become more spacious and capable of hosting all parishioners. The construction of a new Roman Catholic church started in April 1899 according to the project of W. Westmaas. The construction work ended in 1900, in the same year the temple was consecrated.
This is an active church, where you can come for the service at certain hours (Monday-Friday from 8:00 to 14:00, from 17:00 to 19:00, on Saturdays from 8:00 to 12:00 and also from 17:00 to 19:00).
Today, the Church of the Nativity is a popular tourist destination for many Europeans who need to stop by a familiar temple and spend a few minutes in a peaceful atmosphere. The church has a cozy courtyard with greenery and sculptural decor.