Great Mosque of Central Java

My first visit to the Great Mosque of Central Java was in 2009, when it had only been completed for three years.

First Encounter

The 2009 Visit

At that time, I was on a business trip to Semarang, staying at a hotel near Simpang Lima. A colleague mentioned that a very large new mosque had been built in the eastern part of the city and suggested we could go see it on the weekend. I didn't have any particular interest in religious architecture, but I had no other plans that day, so I went along.

It was about four kilometers from the city center, and the taxi ride took around fifteen minutes. When the car turned onto Jalan Gajah Raya, that 99-meter-tall tower came into view. I later learned that this height has special significance—it corresponds to the 99 beautiful names of Allah in Islam.

The 99-meter Al-Husna tower dominates the Semarang skyline, its height symbolizing the 99 names of Allah Architectural Feature

My impressions from that visit have already become hazy. I only remember that the place was very large, and the architecture was a mixed style—the roof resembled traditional Javanese houses, but there were also domes and minarets. There weren't many people around, and we just walked around the square once before leaving.

A New Perspective

Moving to Semarang

In 2014, I moved to Semarang for work. I lived in Pedurungan, about seven or eight minutes by motorcycle from the mosque. After that, I visited many more times and gradually came to understand this place better.

7-8

Minutes Away

Hectares

15-16K

Main Hall Capacity

99m

Tower Height

Behind the Architecture

The History

The mosque's history is more interesting than the building itself.

Land Dispute & Resolution

This land originally belonged to the Kauman Mosque in Semarang's old city district—it was religious endowment land. Between the 1960s and 1990s, most of the land was taken over by a businessman named Tjipto Siswojo through various means. The Kauman Mosque fought legal battles for decades, from local courts all the way to the Supreme Court, losing every case.

On December 17, 1999, several thousand Muslims marched from the Kauman Mosque to Tjipto Siswojo's residence on Jalan Branjangan in the old city to apply pressure. Later, under the coordination of the then-Central Java Governor Mardiyanto, 10 hectares were carved out from the original 69.2 hectares of land to build a new mosque—this was considered a resolution to the matter.

2001

Architectural Design Competition

PT. Atelier Six from Bandung won the bid, with Ahmad Fanani as the designer

2002

September 6

Groundbreaking Ceremony

The Minister of Religious Affairs, Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council, and the Governor together drove in the first pile

2006

November 14

Grand Opening

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony

I couldn't find the exact figure for how much the entire construction cost; the initial budget was 30 billion Indonesian rupiah.

Architectural Details

Design Elements

After visiting many times, I started noticing some details.

25 Pillars

The 25 pillars of the main building represent the 25 prophets of Islam. The patterns at the base of the pillars feature traditional Javanese designs—Kawung, Tumpal, and others.

Arabic Calligraphy

The walls feature Arabic calligraphy, representing Middle Eastern style influences in the mosque's design.

Joglo Roof

The roof shape resembles the traditional Javanese joglo house, but with four 62-meter-tall minarets at each corner and a 20-meter diameter dome in the center.

Roman Influence

Roman style is reflected in the interior design and color scheme, though I honestly can't specify exactly where the Roman influence is.

Giant Hydraulic Umbrellas

The square features six giant hydraulic umbrellas that can open and close automatically. This design is modeled after the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. I personally witnessed the umbrellas opening in 2016—it was a little after 3 PM, when the sun was at its hottest. A staff member pressed some switch, and the six umbrellas slowly opened simultaneously, taking about two to three minutes. Quite a few people were watching, and some were taking videos.

Al-Husna Tower Experience

I've been up the Al-Husna Tower twice.

2015

Went with several friends. The ground floor houses a radio station's broadcast room, and the second and third floors are an Islamic cultural museum with exhibits including handwritten Quran manuscripts and prayer implements—though not many items overall. The elevator goes up to the 18th floor, which has a revolving restaurant that slowly rotates 360 degrees, completing one full rotation in about an hour. We had coffee there—the coffee was mediocre, but the view was truly excellent, overlooking the entire Semarang city area and the distant Tanjung Emas port. The 19th floor is an observation deck with five telescopes available for free use.

2019

Brought my parents to visit. That time the elevator was broken and only the first three floors were open. The staff said it was under repair, with no indication of when it would be fixed. We only saw the museum before coming back down. My mother was a bit disappointed—she had wanted to go to the revolving restaurant.

Religious Observance

Friday Prayers & Gatherings

I've been there during prayer times several times, with Friday's Jumu'ah prayer being the most crowded. The mosque's main hall can accommodate approximately 15,000 to 16,000 people, and including the square and surrounding areas, I've heard it can squeeze in 20,000 to 30,000 people at maximum capacity. During Eid al-Fitr, there are even more people, but I've never joined in that festivity.

Main prayer hall interior

Mosque courtyard and gathering area

Changing Character

Tourism Development

This place has increasingly become more like a tourist attraction. Many small stalls have opened around the square, selling souvenirs and snacks. Next to the parking lot is a row of shops selling Muslim clothing and prayer supplies. In 2017 or 2018, a guesthouse was built next to the mosque, with about twenty-some rooms for overnight pilgrims to stay.

Non-Muslims can also enter for visits, and there's no admission fee. Going up the tower requires a ticket—I remember it was either 15,000 or 20,000 rupiah, though that price was from several years ago and may have increased by now.

Visitor Information

Practical Tips

A few practical reminders.

Weather

Semarang is very hot, with daytime temperatures often reaching 34-35°C. The main hall interior is much cooler than outside, with air conditioning. The square has no shade—visiting at noon will be extremely sunny. Recommended to go after 4 PM or in the morning.

Dress Code

Pay attention to attire—women need to wear headscarves, long sleeves, and long pants or skirts. You can borrow these at the entrance, but bringing your own is more convenient.

Parking

There are plenty of parking spaces—I've never encountered parking difficulties. Going by motorcycle is even more convenient, with a dedicated motorcycle parking area.

Transportation	Details
Public Bus	You can take Trans Semarang from the city center. I haven't taken it myself and don't know the specific route number.
Taxi	Very convenient from city center
Ride-hailing	Using Gojek or Grab is very convenient

Recent Visit

April 2023

My last visit was in April 2023, when I took a friend visiting from Jakarta. That afternoon there was a wedding ceremony being held at the mosque, and we watched for a while from the side. My friend said this mosque was bigger than he had imagined and asked how come he had never heard of it. I said it's probably because Semarang itself isn't a very well-known city—tourists generally go to Yogyakarta or Bali.

My friend said this mosque was bigger than he had imagined and asked how come he had never heard of it. I said it's probably because Semarang itself isn't a very well-known city—tourists generally go to Yogyakarta or Bali.

Nearly Twenty Years Later

This mosque has been standing for nearly twenty years now. The building is still maintained reasonably well, with no obvious signs of damage. It's just that some facilities have aged—for instance, the observation tower's elevator, and some floor tiles in the square have become loose. As for the revolving restaurant, I don't know if it's still operating since my last visit—I didn't go up in 2019, and I haven't specifically checked since then.

If someone asks me what's worth seeing in Semarang, I usually mention this mosque, along with Lawang Sewu and Sam Po Kong. These three places can take up about a day's worth of time.

Great Mosque of Central Java

Religious Architecture

Lawang Sewu

Colonial Heritage

Sam Po Kong

Chinese Temple