Great Mosque of Central Java
The Great Mosque of Central Java is in the city of Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. The mosque complex covers 10 hectares. There are three central buildings arranged in the shape of a U, with the domed mosque at the centre; all buildings have pitched, tiled roofs, while the central mosque has four minarets. The long buildings forming the arms of the U has a library and auditorium respectively; the auditorium can hold up to 2,000 people. In the central courtyard are six large hydraulically operated umbrellas, inspired by the ones at Al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, which are used to protect worshipers; the six umbrellas represent the six tenets of iman. More than 15,000 worshipers can fit in the 7,669-square-metre prayer area.
At the open end of the U is a series of Arabic-style arches, with Arabic calligraphs of 99 attributes of Allah, stood on 25 pillars, each representing one of the named prophets in Islam. Used for calling Muslims to prayer, the tower also houses a radio station for da’wah and museum at its base and restaurant and observation deck near its summit. The upper levels are accessible by lift. On premises there is also a 23-room hotel. Construction began on 6 September 2002; the mosque was completed in 2006. The mosque is also a tourist attraction, with buses and trams available to transport visitors around the grounds.
- Great Mosque of Central Java
- Location: Semarang
- Country:Indonesia
- Area: 7669 square meters
