Istiqlal Grand Mosque
There's some word by anonymous which said that, If you have not visited Istiqlal Mosque yet, you have been not Jakarta yet.
So when I and mom visited Jakarta for the first time, we went to The Great Mosque, Istiqlal. Istiqlal Grand Mosque located in the capital city of Jakarta, spefically in Monas Area.
This mosque is the national mosque in Indonesia. As I read by wikipedia , Istiqlal was means freedom in Arab language. In order that, the name of Istiqlal Mosque based on location that mosque there, it is Merdeka street. Before the mosque was built, the location was used to be Wilhemina Garden.
Istiqlal Grand Mosque was one of the 10th largest mosques in the world with a capacity that can accommodate more than 200.000 worshipers.
A Little History About Istiqlal Grand Mosque
The construction of this mosque was initiated by The First President of Indonesia, Ir. Soekarno. He also participated to lying of the first stone as a sign of the start if the construction on August 24, 1961. As I read by the same source, the architect of Istiqlal Grand Mosque was Federich Silaban, a christian.
When I read that the architect of Istiqlal Grand Mosque was a Christian, I'm very surprised. Like, 'Wow! He take those honorable opportunity even that was not for his worship house'. It's a sign that Indonesia have the great diversity in the world.
Still by the same source , the mosques has a modern architechtural style with marble walls and floor. In order that, the mosque was decorated with geometric ornaments made of stainless steel. The building consist of five floors and one ground floor. The main building is crowned with a large dome with a diameter of 45 meters supported by 12 large pillars. The mosques has a single minaret with 96.66 meters height which located in the southern corner of the mosque's lobby.
Besides become a house of worship, Istiqlal Grand Mosque also become one of tourist attraction in Jakarta. How many tourist, both local and foreign tourist that you can find there.
Even my mom didn't missed to taking the pictures with foreign tourists there. It's because, when we went to Istiqlal Mosque for pray, we were come across a cutie baby so my mom talked to me that she want to taking a picture with that baby. So I directly talked to the foreign tourist and we had that permission.
My mom in the terrace of the Istiqlal Mosque. From this side, we even can see the top of the Monument National, Monas.
The purpose we went to Istiqlal Grand Mosque are not to looking around, but we want to pray there to. So for a while I and my mom are felt the peace there.
I taken a picture the place for wudhu, the first step before we going to prayer.
Interestingly, across the Istiqlal Grand Mosque there's A Katedhral Cruch.
The existence of adjoining houses of worship like this was shows that Indonesia is a country with great diversity which's every religions respect each other.
It's the kinda beautiful that may be another country can't have it.
Visiting the Istiqlal Grand Mosque was our spiritual journey, I hope someday we can visited the Mecca together and doing Hajj. Insha Allah.
Bonus
We were moving forward from Monas to Istiqlal Grand Mosque by the autocar named Bajai.
Istiqlal Grand Mosque view from The Monument National, Monas
Thank's for Stopping by and reading my blog. I claimed that this post was my original and I have dropped the source for get a little information for make this post more informative.
All Photos taken by Canon D1000
Vivie Hardika
I have so many imagination in my head. Something that I can't achieve as human and as a girl. So writing very challenging. Since in Junior High School, I written whatever I want to write. Without skill, I just write what I want to read. Now I have 10th published novels and all of that are romance.
Yeah, I proudly say that I am an mulititalent author!