Amazing Hen Shaped Church

Gereja Ayam is a huge bird shaped church in the forested area of Rhema Hill, Borobudur, Magelang on the island of Java, Central Java, Indonesia.

The building was planned to be in the shape of a dove but the completed structure looks more like a hen than a dove and it is popularly known as Chicken Church (Gereja Ayam).

The church was built by an Indonesian businessman, Daniel Alamsjah, who saw in his dream a dove on top of a hill and also heard in the dream, a voice telling him to build a prayer house on the hills. Work on the church was started in 1990, but due to financial crisis, it was stopped after about 10 years and building started to decay. However due to its peculiar shape its fame spread and soon it became tourist attraction. With the money collected from the tourists the structure has now been some what renovated. It has a huge hall, a viewing platform in the crest of the bird and a viewing terrace at the tail end.

Image from Flickr is by Matt Smith

Image from Flickr is by Matt Smith

The tail of the bird;

Image from Flickr is by Matt Smith

Viewing Terrace at the Tail End.

Image from Flickr is by Matt Smith

The viewing platform on the crest of the bird;

Image from Flickr is by Matt Smith

Google Photosphere - 360 View from Crest

Google Photosphere - 360 Inside View

Location in Google Maps

Source of info and more info: Wikipedia / allthatsinteresting.com

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chicken-shaped-church.kmz (3.79 KB)

A whimsical building on a beautiful place and a strange and sad, still a very nice story!

Thanks Jamal give it a spotlight! - You are the best, if unique things around the Globe! (;

Thanks syzygy for kind comments.

This place has a fascinating history. I would love to visit it. I like visiting old churches and monasteries and exploring their history. In secondary school, we often visited historical sites in our own and neighbouring states. Usually, all the students attended them. But I believe that a non-believer should not participate in religious activities, even if it is part of a cultural programme. I dream of visiting the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence and the Sagrada Familia in Spain. I believe in God. I see churches and monasteries as a means of connection with Jesus. To be even closer to God, I attend Sunday services and watch their broadcasts at firstchurchlove.com.

I never knew it was originally meant to be a dove but ended up resembling a hen instead. Talk about a happy accident! It's amazing how dreams can inspire such unique creations. I recently stumbled upon this personal blog about churches. If you're interested, you can check it out at whenyouneedgod.com. It's actually remarkable how this building, despite facing financial challenges, has managed to capture the attention of tourists and become a must-visit attraction. I can only imagine the breathtaking views one can experience from those spots. If I ever find myself in Borobudur, I'll make it a point to visit this unique architectural marvel.