The Cave of Virgin Mary, Religious Getaway Surrounded by Beautiful Nature

For those who travel to Yogyakarta, Solo or Semarang, the Cave of the Virgin Mary, or Gua Maria Kerep Ambarawa is a meaningful destination for Catholics and has also become a point of interest for tourists of varying religions. Established in 1954, the year declared by Pope John Paul II as the Year of Virgin Mary the Immaculate, the Cave is meant to increase faith and devotion in the Virgin Mother. It is the third cave in this part of Java dedicated to Mother Mary, next to the Maria Cave at Sendangsono in Yogyakarta and the Maria Cave at Sriningsih in Klaten, Central Java.

Gua Maria Kerep Ambarawa or Gua Kerep, was built resembling the Cave of Maria in Lourdes, south of France. It covers an area of 5 hectares, and contains scenes marking key events in the Life of Jesus. These include The Sea of Galilee, The River Jordan, The Kana Banquet, Under the Fig Tree, The Way to the Cross, and finally, The Tomb of Jesus. The Cave of Maria Kerep has undergone several renovations in order to include more complete facilities such as function rooms for meetings and spiritual retreats, a cave chapel which can hold up to 400 worshipers, and a prayer room large enough to accommodate up to 3,000 people.

Although easy to access, the cave is located a fair distance from the highway, lending to its serene atmosphere. Set to a backdrop of Mount Telomoyo, Mount Merbabu and Lake Rawa Pening, this sacred place of worship is also a refuge from everyday life and a place to surround yourself with nature and calm your spirit and thoughts. Pilgrimages to the Maria cave occur in the second week of each month. During this time, the average number of visitors rises to about 8,000 people.

Ambarawa itself is a destination worth visiting. Here is the Railway Museum displaying grand old locomotives. Some 9 km from Ambarawa is the archaeological site of Gedung Songo, the nine temples built in the 8th century, then relax at the Tlogo plantation for a refreshing cup of coffee.

Get There

Gua Maria Kerep is located in Ambarawa, some 900 meters from the main road between Semarang and Magelang, not too far from Yogyakarta. Travel agents in Semarang, Solo or Yogyakarta can organize transport to Ambarawa via mini-bus, which will take 1-2 hours from Yogyakarta or 1 hour from Semarang.

Pilgrims can walk from the Ambarawa terminal to the Maria Cave, although it is a pretty long walk. From the main road you can take the 4-wheeled horse carriage called andong or delman, or get an ojek or motorbike ride. Airports in Semarang, Solo or Yogyakarta serve Kuala Lumpur and Singapore internationally, and most major cities around Indonesia.