BandungBergeral.id - For months, metal fences blocked the view of a historic old building on Banda Street in Bandung. People call it St. Albanus Church. Rumors about the fate of this cultural heritage site were circulating.

Recently, a new modern-style building has risen in the complex next to the Saparua Sports Hall, seemingly sprouting into the sky. All that remains of the century-old building is its front facade, still bearing the inscription in old Dutch spelling: "S. Albanus" and "Free Catholic Church".

Bandung residents have various stories about the Free Catholic Church of St. Albanus building. Some see it as an abandoned, haunted structure, while others know its history as a theosophical society headquarters.

Yasmin Nindya, 34, remembers the Romantic-style church building, over a century old, as a place for Dutch language courses. In 2009, she spent nine months regularly studying in the front room of the church.

Initially, this history teacher thought the course was organized by the Free Catholic Church management. However, she later learned it was conducted by the Budaya Mukti Foundation (YBM).

Besides providing language learning facilities, the Budaya Mukti Foundation offered a library with over 3,000 Dutch and English book titles. The foundation's official website mentions that books on various themes and genres, from sociology to novels, were regularly received from the Dutch Embassy in Jakarta.

An event at St. Albanus Church that Yasmin vividly remembers is the Dutch cultural festival. The day of that festival was also the last time she attended Dutch language courses at the complex.

"There were Dutch cultural exhibits, photo corners with traditional Dutch clothes, Dutch cuisine, and historical talks," Yasmin recounted, when met on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

Although it's been a long time since she last visited the complex, Yasmin hopes the condition of this historic building will be maintained.

"Hopefully, the responsible parties will continue to monitor the ongoing construction, both during and after the building process," she said.

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Ghijsels and the Theosophical Movement in Bandung

The Free Catholic Church of St. Albanus building was designed by renowned colonial-era Dutch East Indies architect Frans Johan Louwrens Ghijsels, at the request of theosophist Van Der Ley. The building was indeed intended as the headquarters for theosophy in Bandung.

In the book "Ir F.J.L. Ghijsels Architect in Indonesia: Simplicity is the shortest path to beauty" (1996) by H. Akihary, it's mentioned that Ghijsels was born in Tulungagung, East Java on September 8, 1882. In 1903, he enrolled as a student at the Delft Technical College, studying Architecture.

"During this period, Ghijsels showed above-average drawing talent with impressive line accuracy. He produced facade drawings, stairs, and interior designs with ornate doors, panels, and beautiful frames. Unfortunately, records of Ghijsels' study years in Delft are very limited," Akihary wrote.

With a diploma from Delft, Ghijsels began working in the Dutch East Indies in late January 1910 as an architectural expert at the Municipal Work Department in Batavia. In 1912, he left the Municipal Work Department and moved to the Public Works Department in the Batavia architecture division. Ghijsels didn't stay there long either, choosing to leave and then work as a private architect in Batavia.

Ghijsels founded the Algemeen Ingenieurs en Architectenbureau (General Engineers and Architects Bureau) with his colleagues. He was involved in Bandung's urban planning work when it was being prepared to become the new capital of the Dutch East Indies in 1917.

It was during this period that Dutch East Indies theosophist Van Der Ley asked Ghijsels to design the theosophy headquarters in Bandung at Jalan Banda no.26. Starting work in 1919, the architect completed this historic project a year later.

"He didn't use many symbols anymore," said Ryzki M. Ryzki Wiryawan, author of book “Okultisme di Bandoeng Doeloe: Menelusuri Jejak Gerakan Teosofi dan Freemansonry di Bandung (2014)”, commenting on the distinctive features of Ghijsels' work, which favored simple and practical ornaments, when met on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

Ryzki explained that the St. Albanus Church building was used as a theosophical headquarters, or popularly called a lodge, until 1930 when the association decided to move to Jalan Merdeka. Not long after, the building was used as a place of worship for the Free Catholic Church congregation, adopting the name of St. Albanus.

According to Ryzki, the relationship between the theosophical movement in the Dutch East Indies and the Free Catholic Church or Vrije Kathokieje Kerk (VKK) began in 1926 when Jr. Van Mazel built the VKK church in Batavia, now Jakarta. Many theosophical figures were former bishops of the Vrije Kathokieje Kerk, like Leadbeater and Arundale.

It is known that the Free Catholic Church was founded by J. I. Wegwood in 1904 in England. Wegwood was a former Anglican bishop who also joined the theosophical movement. The word "Catholic" in this denomination differs from Roman Catholic. The addition of "Free" refers to the freedom of its followers to interpret scripture, creeds, and liturgy in accordance with science.

Ryzki, who is active in the Sahabat Heritage Indonesia (SHI) community, admits he last met with a Free Catholic Church priest in the early 2000s. After the priest passed away, he heard of prolonged internal problems arising. Because they couldn't interfere in these matters, according to Ryzki, what the community could do was to continuously remind stakeholders about the important value of the building at 26 Banda Street, in addition to exploring its historical aspects.

Regarding the ongoing renovation of the Free Catholic Church building, Ryzki hopes that the project will not result in many changes to the original building so that its cultural heritage value remains intact.

"The hope is that the building will survive and still be accessed by the public," said the Ma'soem University lecturer. "The life of the building must be filled with human activities there."

There are Recommendations, There are Concerns

The management of cultural heritage in Bandung City is governed by Regional Regulation Number 7 of 2018 concerning the Management of Cultural Heritage Areas and Buildings. St. Albanus Church is one of 255 Group A buildings, the highest category in the classification. In the regulation's appendix, St. Albanus Church, numbered 105, is included in Zone 5, namely the Military Center.

The determination of cultural heritage groups is based on five criteria: at least 50 years old, having historical value, architectural value, socio-cultural value, and knowledge value. St. Albanus Church meets all five criteria and is therefore included in Group A.

David Bambang Soediono, a member of the Bandung City Cultural Heritage Expert Team (TACB), stated that the revitalization construction of St. Albanus Church has met the required procedures during the TACB session in 2019.

"In cultural heritage sites, it is possible to have additional buildings besides the main building. The addition of buildings can be done behind and or beside the building. Or cultural heritage structures with a certain distance from the main building," said David.

The green light for revitalization was also given considering that the St. Albanus Church complex is still used as a place of worship. No longer by the Free Catholic Church congregation, but by the Indonesian Bethel Church congregation under the official name City Light Community Church.

David reminded that before the revitalization project, the Free Catholic Church of St. Albanus complex was abandoned for a long time due to internal conflicts over ownership and management. The court dispute even reached the Supreme Court level.

In the midst of such conflicts, according to David, the cultural heritage site itself is most at risk. The obligation to maintain it can certainly be neglected.

"So if we look at it positively, the mandate of the cultural heritage law states that the building must be saved to be utilized, right? Well, if it doesn't provide benefits, surely no one would want to save an old building. In the end, it will be destroyed by time," he said.

Aji Bimarsono, Chairman of Bandung Heritage, said that the transfer of ownership of a historical building object often becomes a gateway for building alterations. In some cases, there's even destruction or demolition of buildings.

"When ownership changes, we become nervous. Although it's classified as cultural heritage and has legal foundations, if the building is damaged for any reason, whether the new owner changes its function or expands it, it often ends up damaged," he said, contacted by BandungBergerak on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

According to Aji, more detailed and clear enforcement of regulations is needed in efforts to protect cultural heritage buildings, both those that have been designated as cultural heritage and those that haven't. Especially buildings that have been recognized as Group A cultural heritage buildings. The implementation of projects in the field must be ensured to comply with recommendations and permits to dispel concerns about the fate of the building.

"In fact, there are some that have gone through TACB sessions, have been given recommendations, but the implementation in the field is not the same," he said.

*This article is a collaboration between BandungBergerak and INFID through the PREVENT x INKLUSI Consortium program as part of a campaign to spread the values and spirit of tolerance, freedom of religion and belief, and inclusivity.

**Traslated from this article by Najmah Kaamiliaa.