The Origins of the Gereja Ayam or Chicken Church Prayer House

"Some people might think I built a church because I am a Christian," Alamshah said to Nationalgeographic.co.id on October 4, 2018.

"But the Gereja Ayam is really a place of worship for anyone who believe in God — whether they are Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Catholics, Christians, and other faiths— to pray in their own way."

Aside from a place of worship, the prayer house was also used as a rehabilitation center for physically disabled children, drug addicts, and people with mental disorders as well as troubled young people.

Visiting the Gereja Ayam

There are two ways to get to Gereja Ayam. One can drive directly there  via the Borobudur Temple National Park, then go down a road Bukit Rhema. The second route is more of an exercise, as one has to trek on the Punthuk Setumbu path in the middle of the forest.

The Gereja Ayam has seven floors, each of which represent humanity's spiritual journey, the meaning of prayer, the mercy of God and local wisdom. Like cathedrals in Europe, these stories are portrayed in interconnected paintings, each of which have a moral.

The first floor symbolizes the individual from their birth who is born pure, but is beginning to learn the ways of the world as they progressed from a crawl to a walk. The universality of the theme makes the place a place of prayer for any religion.

Also read: Dutch Woman in Yogyakarta Serves Hope in A Bowl of Noodles

The second floor symbolizes humanity's increased understanding of the world, where they start to distinguish between good and evil.

The third floor touches on temptation and problems for young people, such as juvenile delinquency, promiscuity, and substance abuse. This part explains Bukit Rhema's standing as a rehab center.

The fourth floor describes Indonesia's diverse arts and cultures. Small wonder Bukit Rhema is also used as a workshop to teach children from orphanages batik, so as to introduce and conserve culture in Indonesia.

The fifth floor tells of a person who have fallen, while the scenery around the hill represents the faith and hope to motivate them to get back on their feet.

The sixth floor portray an open mouth, which meant that while humans are subject to hard times, they are just as liable to feel happiness. The fresh air and scenery of the seventh floor showed that humans should be grateful to be alive.

Kompas.com/Ronny Adolof Buol Chicken Church's hall in Magelang, Central Java.

A pop culture icon

Time and the elements seemed indifferent to Alamsjah's devotion and vision, as neglect set in on Gereja Ayam. The building was vacated and left to rot since constructed stopped in 2000, leading to rumors that the place is haunted.