Demak Great Mosque

Demak Great Mosque
ꦩꦱ꧀ꦗꦶꦢ꧀ꦲꦒꦸꦁꦢꦺꦩꦏ꧀

Masjid Agung Demak
Basic information
Location Jalan Sultan Fatah, Bintoro Demak, Central Java, Indonesia
Geographic coordinates 6°53′41″S 110°38′14″E / 6.8947°S 110.6373°E / -6.8947; 110.6373Coordinates: 6°53′41″S 110°38′14″E / 6.8947°S 110.6373°E / -6.8947; 110.6373
Affiliation Islam
Province Central Java
Region Demak
Country Indonesia
Administration Demak government
Architectural description
Architect(s) Sunan Kalijaga
Architectural style Javanese
Completed 1479
Minaret(s) None

Masjid Agung Demak (or Demak Great Mosque) is one of the oldest mosques in Indonesia, located in the center town of Demak, Central Java Indonesia. The mosque is believed to be built by the Nine Muslim Saints (Wali Songo) with the most prominent figure Sunan Kalijaga, during the first Demak Sultanate ruler, Raden Patah during the 15th century.[1]

Features

Although it has had a number of renovations, it is thought to be largely in its original form.[2] The mosque is a classic example of a traditional Javanese mosque. Unlike mosques in the Middle East it is built from timber. Rather than a dome, which did not appear on Indonesian mosques until the 19th century, the roof is tiered and supported by four saka guru teak pillars.[3] The tiered roof shows many similarities with wooden religious structures from the Hindu-Buddhist civilizations of Java and Bali. The main entrance of Masjid Agung Demak consists of two doors carved with motifs of plants, vases, crowns and an animal head with an open wide-toothed mouth. It is said that picture depicts the manifested thunder caught by Ki Ageng Selo, hence their name “Lawang Bledheg” (the doors of thunder).

Like other mosques of its era, its orientation towards Mecca is only approximate.[4]

Carving and historical relics

Pictures of Masjid Agung Demak at the end of the 19th century

Its walls contain Vietnamese ceramics. With their shapes derived from conventions of Javanese woodcarving and brickwork, they are thought to have been specially ordered.[5] The use of ceramic rather than stone is thought to have been in imitation of the mosques of Persia.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Florida, Nancy K Writing the past, inscribing the future: history as prophesy in colonial Java Durham, N.C. : Duke University Press, 1995 - Chapter. 5. The Demak Mosque: A Construction of Authority (Babad Jaka Tingkir). ISBN 0-8223-1622-6
  2. ↑ Turner, Peter (November 1995). Java. Melbourne: Lonely Planet. pp. 78–79. ISBN 0-86442-314-4.
  3. ↑ Turner, Peter (November 1995). Java. Melbourne: Lonely Planet. pp. 78–79. ISBN 0-86442-314-4.
  4. ↑ Turner, Peter (November 1995). Java. Melbourne: Lonely Planet. pp. 78–79. ISBN 0-86442-314-4.
  5. ↑ Schoppert, Peter; Damais, Soedarmadji & Sosrowardoyo, Tara (1998), Java Style, Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, p. 41, ISBN 962-593-232-1.
  6. ↑ Schoppert, Peter; Damais, Soedarmadji & Sosrowardoyo, Tara (1998), Java Style, Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, ISBN 962-593-232-1.

See also

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