Institut Roncalli

Credit: SalatigaKita
circa 1958

google map link

Although I lived 3 minutes from this complex I had very little idea of what this place was all about. My vague memories from childhood were about climbing tall Pine trees to find bird nests, coffee plantation, and pastors walking about. Although it was said that they were not too friendly with visitors and would release big dogs, the "herder" (!) I never had such problems.

Credit: edwardweinberg@gmail.com
http://indisch4ever.web-log.nl/indisch4ever/2010/05/index.html


It seems that the building once belong to one of the richest man in the world. When he went bankrupt the Catholics bought that castle.


Update 5/8/2010

There is a massive documentation about this building at www.salatiga.nl website. It is written in Dutch and the following are some excerpts from Google Translate.

Full credit to www.salatiga.nl
Some photos are properties of Army Museum in Delft.

Roncalli Institute, Jalan Diponegoro 90

The gateway to the Istana jun Eng

By the Brothers of Maastricht led Roncalli Institute, a retreat and training center, on Jalan Diponegoro, located at the place where once the building Kwee (Mercury) jun Eng (1859-1935) was. Jun Eng (who came Taiwan's) was a successful entrepreneur with an international reputation. In 1877 he founded Mercury in Semarang NV Hoo Tong Handel Maatschappij.

This building complex was built in the years 1921-1925 to 3 million Dutch guilders. A very large sum in those days. In 1930, however, went jun Eng's trading by the international economic crisis became insolvent and the building because he could not pay his debts, the Java Bank seized.

Istana jun Eng. Photo: Mellema, JR
The unrecognizable palace, monsoon 24, No. 2 (08/15/1979), pp. 17 17

During the Second World War the Japanese army Salatiga entered it changed the building of office and became an internment camp for Dutch. Following the declaration of Indonesia ë, the respectively the headquarters of the army and police.

Istana jun NL
where the alternating A-and B-squad of the 32 Co AAT were situated

Then, between 1946 and 1949 the headquarters the KNIL. It was later bought by the gereja Katolik and in 1949 took the brethren of the FIC * from Maastricht moved into the building. Often it was also used as a boarding school for students in the SMP, while the rear of the building until 1974 by the SMP Pangudi Luhur from Salatiga and Tlogo was used.

* Official: Congregatio Fratrum Immaculatae Conceptionis Beatae Mariae Virginis - Brothers of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (Brothers of Maastricht)

The name of the person's Moral Body Sub Praesidio Beatae Mariae Virginis. The congregation is especially known for its activities in the field of education and training.

Institut Roncalli today:

The institute was named after Cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who later was appointed Pope: Pope John XXIII 1958-1963.

Note: Thanks for Hanny Widjojo for the correction on that last paragraph.

Hanny Widjojo ‎@Gie, ini ada koreksi sedikit pada artikel mengenai Roncalli. The institute was named after Cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who later was appointed Pope: Pope John Paul XXIII 1958-1963. Yang benar adalah Pope John XXIII, karena Pope John Paul baru dua selama ini yakni JP I tahun 1977 dan yang JP II (Carol Woytila) yang belum lama meninggal dan digantikan dengan Pope yang sekarang (Benedictus) Pasti yang bikin article bukan orang catholic.


Update 19/8/2010
The following information is written in Bahasa, taken from the official government website of Salatiga.

Dulu, bangunan ini adalah Istana Djoen Eng milik Kwik Djoen Eng yang dibangun pada tahun 1921-1925. Kompleks ini dibangun dengan luas mencapai 12 Ha. Djoen Eng sangat mencintai keempat puteranya sehingga melambangkan mereka dalam bentuk kubah. Satu kubah besar dan tinggi di tengah adalah Djoen Eng dan empat kubah lainnya melambangkan empat puteranya. Setelah Djoen Eng bangkrut pada 1930, istana ini mengalami riwayat panjang yaitu disita Javaasche Bank, dibeli Kongregasi FIC, menjadi kamp interniran bangsa Belanda, menjadi markas polisi dan tentara Indonesia, sebagai tangsi tentara Belanda, dan dipakai untuk Bruderan, asrama anak SMP, dan SMP Pangudiluhur. Pada 12 Mei 1968, Istitut Roncalli berdiri dan istana Djoen Eng direnovasi secara menyeluruh. Sebutan Djoen Eng pun berganti menjadi Roncalli, nama asli Paus Yohannes Paulus XXIII 1958-1963, yaitu Angelo Guiseppe Roncalli. Hingga sekarang, gedung ini tetap menjadi Institut Roncalli dengan luas gedung tinggal 3,5 Ha dan mengalami tiga kali renovasi, yaitu pada tahun 1968, 1975, dan 1990. Institut ini berdiri di Jalan Diponegoro.

Bagian Humas, Pemkot Salatiga
Oktober 2009