Istiqlal Mosque

Back in May I took the girls to visit the Istiqlal Mosque or the Mesjid Istiqlal. Non-muslim visitors are welcome to visit. You can pick up an english-speaking tour guide at the entrance to the Mosque. We just had to remove our shoes. The girls and I did not have to cover our heads.

I believe the Istiqlal Mosque is the largest mosque in S.E. Asia. The tour guide told us that during Ramadan, up to 200,000 people may worship at the Mosque. The tour was relatively short. Our guide just took us to see the main prayer room. He didn't really say that much. I snapped a couple of pictures, tipped the tour guide, and we headed home.

Although it was a short visit, I am glad we went. I think it is worth a look. The dome is beautiful. The courtyard and main prayer room are enormous. From the main prayer room, you can see that the Mosque has 5 levels, representing the 5 pillars of Islam. The Istiqlal Mosque is an impressive structure. I can only imagine what it looks like full of people during Ramadan. That would be quite a sight.