10 Mosques with Unique Architectures in Indonesia

As a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia is brimming with mosques scattered all across the archipelago. Be it the historical ones that have been standing through the test of times as well as newly built ones. Each region has unique mosques built by bringing together Islamic designs with local culture and philosophy. Of the many unique mosques in Indonesia, these ten mosques are among the most unique ones and are worth visiting during the homecoming and Eid holidays.

10 Mosques with Unique Architectures in Indonesia
 

1. Sumatera Barat Grand Mosque, Padang

Located at Jl. Khatib Sulaiman, Padang, this mosque is the largest religious tourism icon of the Sumatera Barat province. This establishment is relatively new as a grand mosque and has only been inaugurated on January 4, 2019. Unlike most mosques in the country, this mosque isn’t topped with a dome.

The roof building resembles a cloth being lifted at the four corners so that it forms like the roof of a typical West Sumatran Gadang house. The walls are also full of carved Songket motifs, dominated by red and gold. There is also a large and beautiful garden around the mosque –a perfect place to wind down.

2. An-Nur Great Mosque, Pekanbaru

This mosque is known for its architecture that combines Arabic, Malay, Turkish, and Indian styles. The Arab influence can be seen from the shape of the round dome, combined with the typical Malay blue and yellow colors. Its four pointed minarets are stylishly Turkish and are connected to the main building via a walkway. A long fountain and a huge garden make this mosque resemble the Taj Mahal's miniature in India.

3. Perahu Mosque, Tebet – Jakarta

Inspired by the story of Noah’s Ark, KH Abdurrahman Massud, the initiator of the construction of this mosque back in 1963, built an iconic mosque that has a stranded boat in front of the mosque. Originally named the Great Mosque of Al Munada Darussalam Baiturrahman, this mosque is located in a narrow alley around Jl. Casablanca, Tebet, South Jakarta. For its narrowly located, the mosque is only reachable by foot. The boat itself is used for ablution and a bathroom, while the upper part is used for meetings. A bed of jade is used as a prayer mat for the Imam. There is also a giant 2x1 meters Al Quran on the veranda behind the mosque.

4. Dian Al-Mahri Mosque, Depok, West Java

This place is known by most as the Golden Dome Mosque for its three fascinating gold-plated domes. The five minarets also share similar golden domes, making them look even more marvelous from a distance. The interior of the main dome is no less nifty, for it is decorated with alfresco-style cloud paintings like those commonly found on the ceilings of European palaces.

5. Al-Irsyad Mosque, Bandung, West Java

This mosque is located in Kota Baru Parahyangan, Padalarang, Bandung Regency. Like the Sumatera Barat Grand Mosque, Al-Irsyad Mosque possesses no dome. It is shaped like a giant cube with lines of holes in the walls that form three-dimensional calligraphy with two sentences of the Sahadat. Ridwan Kamil – now governor of West Java – designed this mosque, and its design is intended to maximize the entry and exit of air and natural light into the mosque. The roof of the main room of the mosque is also decorated with 99 lightboxes, which symbolize Asmaul Husna or the Names of Allah.

6. Jawa Tengah Great Mosque, Semarang, Central Java

This mosque combines the traditional Javanese limasan house design with Islamic and Roman architecture. The front yard is decked with six giant umbrellas like the one in the Prophet's Mosque, Medina. During Friday prayers, these umbrellas were developed to protect worshipers from the heat and rain. The courtyard is surrounded by 25 Roman Colosseum-style pillars that form an arch with a large minaret standing 99 meters tall, which can be climbed to the top. The first floor of the tower houses radio and T.V. studios, while the second floor houses the museum. The mosque is also equipped with lodging for pilgrims and a large front garden.

7. Tuban Great Mosque, East Java

The uniqueness of this mosque lies in the design of the arched doors and the carvings on the surrounding walls, which are similar to mosques you commonly see in Iran and Central Asian countries. This mosque was built in 1894 by a Dutch architect, B.O.H.M. Toxopeus. The dome is painted blue and yellow, with tall, pointed towers on all four sides. Adjacent to this mosque is a pilgrimage complex for the tomb where Sunan Bonang lies. Sunan Bonang is one of the Nine Walis responsible for the spread of Islam on the island of Java.

8. Cheng Ho Mosque, Surabaya, East Java

Admiral Zheng He or Cheng Ho was an envoy from the Ming Dynasty in China who had visited various parts of Indonesia in the 15^th century. Cheng Ho is believed to have helped spread the religion of Islam, which explains why many mosques were built and named after him at places where he had visited. One of the mosques is the Cheng Ho Mosque in Surabaya. This building adopts Chinese architectural style in its entirety, as shown by the typical red brick walls. The mosque’s dome is also a multi-story pagoda, as we often encounter in temple buildings.

9. Tiban Mosque, Turen – Malang, East Java

Without the help of an architect, this mosque was built by students from the Bihaaru Bahri Asali Fadlaailir Rahmah Islamic Boarding School, which is located in the same area as this mosque. So, it’s unsurprising that the mosque, located in a densely populated area, looks irregular. This mosque uniquely uses blue ceramics like ancient Chinese porcelain for its wall carving. However, its tall, pointed minarets are reminiscent of Hindu Tamil temples in South India.

10.  99 Dome Mosque, Makssar, South Sulawesi

This mosque was only recently inaugurated on March 12, 2022, and is officially named Center Point of Indonesia Mosque. Located on a reclamation land of Losari Beach, Makassar, the mosque building is shaped like a pyramid conical to the top, topped with a large dome. The walls are decorated with 99 terracotta color domes layered on nine levels.

Those are ten mosques built with unique architecture in Indonesia that you can visit during homecoming or the Lebaran holiday. Don’t forget to use the T.R.A.C. car rental service to support your mobility during this Covid-19 pandemic. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, T.R.A.C. implements the SMART Protocol to ensure the safety and well-being of our drivers and customers. The SMART Protocol includes:

1. Disinfecting all units before and after duty

2.  Providing hand sanitizer in all units on duty

3.  Social distancing in all units on duty

4.  Installation of fiber-made barrier between the driver and passengers

5.  All drivers on duty are required to undergo a series of health checks

6.  All drivers on duty are required to wear a mask and gloves

7.  Drivers are not allowed to make physical contact with passengers

For more information on T.R.A.C. car rental service, you can contact our Customer Assistance Center at 1500009 or email rco.nasional@trac.astra.co.id. Don’t forget to download the TRACtoGo application on Google Playstore and Apple App Store to make a booking. In this application, you can also get interesting offers and attractive promos that are hard to miss.