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Top 5 Best oldest mosques in Indonesia by Philippe Robichon

1. Masjid Agung Demak

Masjid Agung Demak, the oldest in Indonesia. Every time I see masjid Jami I think of Masjid Agung Demak which is said to be the oldest in Indonesia. As its name suggests it is located in the city of Demak in Central Java. It is believed that the mosque was built by Wali Songo and completed in 1479.

According to stories circulating in the community, the Great Mosque of Demak was once a gathering place for the Walisongo who spread Islam in Java. Also built of wood, it is a classic example of a traditional Javanese mosque, with a multi-level roof and supported by four teak pillars called Saka Tatal/Saka Guru. The door of the Great Mosque of Demak, known as the Bledheg door, is considered to be lightning resistant.

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Masjid Agung Demak

2. Masjid Agung Banten

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Masjid Agung Banten website

It is a mosque whose recent construction was completed in 1997. Located 500 meters from the beach, it remained standing after the 2004 tsunami. Only a few corners of the building were damaged and cracked, but most of it is still intact. The mosque was later renovated with funding from the Turkish Red Crescent. On the right side of the entrance of the mosque, there is a small museum that stores photos of the tsunami.

I highly recommend the detour especially since it is located a few blocks from the most beautiful beaches of Indonesia. 3 mosques in Java jewels of Javanese architecture. Masjid Agung Banten, the mosque with a lighthouse. The very example of a mosque in the architecture "campur" successful. This is what distinguishes the Great Mosque of Banten from other traditional mosques in Indonesia.

The Great Mosque of Banten is listed as one of the ancient mosques of Indonesia. Its construction began in 1555 and was completed in 1566 at a time when Banten was the big city of Java. The mosque has a five-tiered roof supported by four main posts (saka guru). Its brick minaret of 24 meters high, with an octagonal base of 10 meters in diameter whose shape is reminiscent of a lighthouse is now an icon of the province of Banten.

3. Masjid Tuha Indrapuri

In Aceh the oldest mosque in Southeast Asia? Perhaps the oldest mosque in Southeast Asia. Masjid Tuha Indrapuri, nicknamed silent witness of the Hindu kingdom in Aceh. Tuha Indrapuri Mosque is one of the important sites that mark the history of Aceh. In addition to being historical, this ancient mosque is also a silent witness to the entrance of Islamic civilization in Aceh.

In the past, it was a temple founded by the Hindu kingdom of Aceh. This mosque was founded in 1618 by Sultan Iskandar Muda who was then the sultan of the Aceh kingdom. There is another story that Indrapuri Mosque was built in 1607-1636 AD. The whole building is made of wood with some traditional Arabic carvings. This mosque with overlapping roofs is built on a four-tiered wall of limestone mixed with clay.

Tuha Indrapuri Mosque, besides being the oldest in the archipelago, is also called one of the oldest in Southeast Asia. This is based on the fact that Islam first entered the archipelago through Aceh, namely through the kingdom of Perlak, then the kingdom of Samudera Pasai. The mosque is located on the east bank of the Aceh River, about 100 meters from the river's edge. It is under the angle of the photo below that the mosque is the most beautiful for me.

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Masjid Tuha Indrapuri website

4. Masjid Al-Anshor

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The oldest mosque in Jakarta. Masjid Al-Anshor. The oldest mosque in the current Indonesian capital is located in Pekojan, Tambora, and was built in 1648. The Al-Anshor mosque has no minarets or domes and looks more like a house than a mosque. It is difficult to determine which part of the building is still original enough. The most untraceable mosque.

5. Masjid Tua Wapauwe

It holds the title of the oldest mosque in Indonesia. Masjid Tua Wapauwe historic mosque in Kaitetu village, a village in the Wawane Mountains in the northern part of Cape Keitetu, Maluku, an hours drive from Ambon whose foundation dates back to 1414. It is a small wooden mosque. The original construction has been preserved, without nails or pegs.

We find the typical architectural style of traditional mosques in Indonesia with multi-level roofs, supported by the pillars of the guru saka and without minaret. The walls are covered with gaba-gaba (dried sago leaves) as well as the thatched roof.

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Masjid Tua Wapauwe
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About abigail wuisan

Hi, i am Abigail. As an Indonesian professional who has been living in France for 6 years, I am happy and proud to share with you the Indonesian heritage and to increase your awareness of the wealth of Indonesia. I present you the best of the Best of Indonesia !