This time I was still walking around the city of Surakarta, like before Taman Sriwedari. Also and Modern Mosque Surakarta. This city is indeed a small city. So most of the places I went by walking.
I visited a historic mosque from the Mataram Kingdom. I saw this mosque as a beauty that holds many stories.
It turns out that after I searched reading references about this mosque, there are indeed many stories related to the government's politics related to this mosque.
"Masjid Agung Surakarta / SURAKARTA GREAT MOSQUE" is indeed located in the city center, as part of a form of religious activity center. In the construction of the mosque, the Mataram kingdom government was indeed moved to the area of this mosque, namely Surakarta. As a city with a large Muslim population, building a mosque is a must, especially for Muslim holidays.
Mosque Gate Area
"SURAKARTA GREAT MOSQUE" attracts attention with its Javanese and Dutch architecture. Visitors will be spoiled by the splendor of the classic building. Of course it will not look like a modern public mosque or the shape of a mosque in the Middle East that you know.
At the gate, I saw the main gate that looked like a fortress. Indeed, the mosque area is still one area close to the kingdom so the defense gates are very thick.
Classic but beautiful and looks clean. The main gate of the mosque has 3 entrances, but only one middle door is opened for daily access.
After I passed the main gate, then I saw a large mosque area. We can see the courtyard of the mosque which is arranged with many tables and chairs, just like a garden area.
Typical classic lamps with blue poles that are familiarly found around the city of Surakarta, especially the palace area. With typical gold-colored carvings.
Main Area of the Mosque
The main area of the mosque is visible with strong wooden elements colored blue. Thick with Javanese architectural elements. The building looks wide to the side just like a traditional house in the past.
On the side of the mosque there is also a mosque tower so that the call to prayer can be heard further to the community with a height of 16 meters.
In the area near the stairs before entering the main area there are also small pools that can be stepped on before visitors enter so that their feet are clean.
Then, visitors can pray anywhere because the terrace area of the mosque also looks very clean and spacious. This terrace area in the past was also used for weddings and other public gatherings.
We can see the dominance of the use of selected teak wood which is indeed famous for being expensive here. We can also see that these buildings are very sturdy.
I am happy to see how beautiful the combination of pillars and wood textures on the roof is. Especially colored blue which adds an aesthetic impression to the present day.
Front Area of the Mosque
Near the entrance there is a Javanese inscription, also with Latin letters but still using the Javanese regional language which I do not understand at all.
The mosque door also has beautiful calligraphy carvings, and from here we can already see the front area filled with natural sunlight!
The front area of the mosque we can see more classic grandeur in the front building. The pillars of the mosque look sturdy in the front area in natural wood color but furnished with gloss.
Equipped with large classic lamps hanging from the high roof.
Overall, "Masjid Agung Surakarta / SURAKARTA GREAT MOSQUE" feels very cool by applying traditional architecture. Also good lighting. Meanwhile, at the gate of the mosque we can see how sturdy the building was in the past. And this mosque has been standing since the 18th century.
Next time I will also take you around the royal palace area. Hopefully you enjoy my trip to this "Masjid Agung Surakarta / SURAKARTA GREAT MOSQUE". Have a great day!
Best Regards,
Anggrek Lestari
Anggrek Lestari is an Indonesian fiction writer who has published two major books. Now She is a full-time content creator. She has a goal to share life, poem, and food content that makes others happy and can get inspiration.
Contact Person: authoranggreklestari@gmail.com
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