Gereja Ayam

The Chicken Church is commonly used for worship by local residents, but it has also become a tourist spot.

Gereja Ayam is a mimetic building that is also known by its English nickname, Chicken Church. It is located in an area of Magelang, in Central Java, Indonesia.

The structure was intended to be fashioned in the shape of a dove. Its unusual appearance was based on an inspiration that appeared in the dream of its architect, Daniel Alamsjah.

Based on divine messages instructing him to build a house of prayer, Alamsjah began work on the project in the 1990s, despite resistance from the local community. Intended for all faiths, the church became an ongoing project for Alamsjah. For a decade, he worked on the project until funding ran out in 2000. At that point, the project was left in its incomplete state.

It has since been left to decay in the jungle, but in its wilder state, it has also become a tourist attraction. Decorated by passing artists with ceiling murals and jewelled tiles, the Chicken Church has served as an informal religious site, a rehabilitation centre, a film backdrop and a place for local cultural connection. It also has excellent views from the bird’s head and snacks available from a cafe in the bird’s rear end.

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