In the heart of Central Java, in Indonesia, we can find a ruined abandoned church which has the shape of a giant chicken. Called Gereja Ayam (“Chicken Church”) by locals, this church attracts photographers and explorers from all around the globe on the Magelang hills, each year, although it has closed on 2000 because of too much costs in the building.
The story behind this monument is old from the 80’s. A 67-year old man named Daniel Alamsjah announced that he got a divine message from God telling him to build a prayers house shaped like a dove. With the little help of 30 Magelang locals (his wife’s hometown), he started to build this monument until the 90’s.
Despite his Christian faith, Alamsjah imagined this temple like a church that would host all kinds of religions. Many Muslims, Christians and Buddhists have lived and prayed together under the rooftop, while the basement was occupied by drug addicts, children with disabilities and mentally sick people.
