Baiturrahman Mosque - History and Architecture of the Mosque, Riau Islands, Indonesia

November 17, 2021

Trip Dalgano - Destination | Hello friends, on this occasion we will discuss the topic of the province of Riau Islands, namely Baiturrahman Mosque - History and Architecture of the Mosque, Riau Islands, Indonesia. Baiturrahman Grand Mosque is a legacy of the Kingdom of Aceh as a symbol of religion, culture, and the struggle of the Acehnese people.

The problem is that this mosque is not only a center of religious activity and a witness to the fame of the Kingdom of Aceh, but has also been a defense base against the attacks of several invaders. The Baiturrahman Grand Mosque was built by Sultan Iskandar Muda, the king of Aceh from 1607-1636, in 1612 AD. Historically, this mosque was burned by the Dutch but survived when the 2004 tsunami hit. The Provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra are no less interesting than their natural destinations, read Destinations in Aceh. And more about the 5 Best Travel Destinations in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

History of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque

Baiturrahman Mosque

Some historical sources state that the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque was built in 1612 when the Aceh Kingdom was ruled by Sultan Iskandar Muda (1607-1636 AD). However, some believe that this mosque was built earlier, namely by Sultan Aladdin Mahmudsyah in 1292. Despite the differences in the year of construction, the original building of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque was burned during the reign of Sultan Nurul Alam (1675-1678). In exchange, a new mosque was built in a similar location.

Because of its most vital place, several buildings of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque were burned down by the Dutch on April 10, 1873. To melt the angry hearts of the Acehnese, Governor-General Van Lansberge said he would rebuild a new grand mosque. The placement of the first stone for the rebuilding of this mosque was carried out on October 9, 1879, by Tengku Qadhi Malikul Adil. The construction of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque was completed on December 27, 1881, and was ratified at that time.

Since it was legalized, quite some Acehnese have refused to worship at this mosque because it was made by the Dutch. Even so, now the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque is a particular pride for Banda Aceh. When completed by the Dutch in 1881, this mosque has one dome and one minaret. Other domes and minarets were added in 1935, 1958, and 1982. Today, the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque has seven domes and eight minarets. During the 2004 Aceh tsunami, the mosque was repaired again due to less chronic damage to some of its buildings.

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The function of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque

As far as history goes, the benefits of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque are many, not limited to religious activities. During the reign of Sultan Iskandar Muda, for example, this mosque was used as a place to broadcast Islam. Even in that period, not only knowledge seekers from the local community came to this mosque, but also some immigrants from Malay, Persian, Arabic, and Turkish.

During the colonial period, the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque was used as a place of worship and a defense base against enemy attacks. That role was felt when the Kingdom of Aceh was held by Sultan Aladdin Mahmud Sah (1870-1874 AD). In this mosque, large agreements are often held to review attack tactics and opportunities for Dutch attacks on the Kingdom of Aceh.

Therefore, the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque became the target of the Dutch attacks until it burned down. During the 2004 tsunami disaster, this mosque was used as a temporary shelter for several refugees. At present, the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque has various roles other than being used for prayer, namely as a place to hold recitations, religious events such as the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, the 1st Muharram commemoration, and one of the objects of religious recreation in Aceh.

Baiturrahman Grand Mosque Architecture

The architect who built the new Baiturrahman Grand Mosque was a Dutch army captain named Gerrit van Bruins. To determine the architecture of the mosque, he consulted with Snouck Hurgronje and the head of the Bandung mosque. The uniqueness of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque is that it uses the Mughal architectural style, followed by the building which has a large minaret and dome, like the Taj Mahal in India.

Another uniqueness of this mosque can be seen in the door, which is in the form of three large doors made of wood and decorated with many ornaments. In addition, the unique interior of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque is decorated with relief walls and pillars, marble steps and floors from China, and stained glass from Belgium.

Okay, I think the discussion is over, thank you for visiting our blog. And have read the article about Baiturrahman Mosque - History and Architecture of the Mosque, Riau Islands, Indonesia. Hopefully, it will be useful for Indonesian netizens, especially Netizen +1 who are confused about finding a place to vacation and unwind from everyday life. In addition, the beach can also be used as a place for a vacation for someone who likes to enjoy how beautiful the coast is with strong sea breezes. Also, check out the article about the lakes that must be visited in North Sumatra and beaches worth visiting. Learn more, and Find Tourism and Culinary In Indonesia.