Abandoned Indonesian Temple Looks an Awful Lot Like a Chicken

Somewhere in the Indonesian countryside, outside Mangelang, there's an abandoned church. It's longer than it is wide or tall. Until 15 years ago, it was equal parts church and outreach services for the poor and indigent. Grafitti covers the walls of what was once a proud church. A church that's shaped like a chicken.

Locals call it "Gereja Ayam," which literally translates to Chicken Church. Which is accurate because it is, in fact, a church shaped like a giant chicken. Its founder, Daniel Alamsjah, had intended his temple to God to be in the shape of a dove, a Christian symbol sometimes associated with the Holy Spirit. When Alamsjah saw its location on a hike, he knew it was the same temple he'd dreamed about, and sought to build the church on the land.

That project began in 1989, before shutting down in 2000 due to overrunning construction costs. Rather than being strictly a Christian search, it was intended as a house of prayer for all religions, as Indonesia has sizable Muslim and Buddhist populations. Now, it's just an abandoned curiosity.

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