Great Mosque of Banten, a great mosque full of historical values

place: Large mosque complex Banten RT / RW 001/011, Banten, Kec. Kasemen, Serang City.
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Banten Great Mosque is a religious tourism destination with a distinctive style and lots of historical values ​​that you must visit while in Banten.

Banten is one of the cities known for its unique and interesting natural attractions. Banten not only has nature tourism, but also religious tourism, which is a shame. You can visit the Banten Great Mosque and learn about the history of civilization in the mosque. This mosque has stood for a long time and has a distinctive and magnificent building.

History of the construction of the Great Mosque of Banten

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The beginning of the construction of the Great Mosque of Banten was an instruction from the Sultan of Gunung Jati to his son Sultan Hasanuddin. Sunan Gunung Jati ordered his son to look for a piece of land that was still sacred as a construction site for the Kingdom of Banten. Then Sultan Hasanuddin was confused about finding a piece of land that was still sacred to build a kingdom on.

Sultan Hasanuddin also asked Allah SWT for guidance and merit to receive guidance on the right land to establish the kingdom. As the story unfolds, after spontaneous prayer, the sea water around it opened and turned to land. Sultan Hasanuddin then began to establish a kingdom in this place along with other devotees such as mosques, squares and markets.

The combination of mosque, square and market is a tradition of Islamic kingdoms in the past. The first mosque built in Banten was the Great Mosque, which has a stable building to this day. This mosque is also a symbol of the glory of Islam at that time. No wonder that this mosque is always full of visitors, pilgrims or just praying.

The unsurpassed Great Mosque

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When you see this mosque, you might be immediately amazed by the beauty of the building. You can see this uniqueness in the design of the roof of the mosque, which has five roofs so that it is very similar to the shape of a Chinese pagoda. According to reports, this mosque was built at the beginning of Islam's entry into Java, so it must combine local culture with Islam.

One architect who built this mosque was Raden Sepat, who had previously been a skilled designer for the construction of other mosques. Some of the mosques he has worked with are Demak Mosque and Cirebon Mosque. So that the Cirebon mosque building and the Banten mosque have a special connection to the roof. The Demak Great Mosque has a three-tiered roof that has the meaning of Faith, Islam and Ihsan.

The Banten Great Mosque now has five roofs that symbolize the pillars of Islam. Meanwhile, the Chinese note in this mosque is nothing but the service of Tjek Ban Tjut. He built and designed the steps of the mosque and was given the title of Pangeran Adiguna. Seen from the roof, which consists of five levels, the size is getting smaller.

In contrast to a mosque with a dome on the roof, the Great Banten Mosque has a pyramidal dome. That makes it a feature of a mosque that other mosques do not own. The construction of this mosque was also supported by Endrik Cardeels arrival in Banten and was a designer from BelAnda who had fled Batavia.

He purposely fled Batavia with intentions to convert to Islam. Sultan Hasanuddin also invited Hendrik Lucaz Cardeel to build a tower that will serve as a place for reflection and study of religious studies. Because of his contribution to the construction of the mosque, Cardeel was later nicknamed Prince Wiraguna. The minaret of this great mosque has a shape that is very different from the shape of the minaret in general.

You can see the mosque tower which is shaped like a lighthouse. Visitors who come can also climb to the top of the tower after climbing 83 steps with a narrow hallway. This minaret is located east of the mosque and so proudly rises to the sky. The white color indicates whether the mosque's minaret contains a symbol of holiness.

The minaret itself has a height of about 24 meters. When you reach the end of the tower, you can see the hustle and bustle of the city of Banten from the top of the tower. The main function of this mosque is to deliver the call to prayer in the area. However, this mosque used to serve as a storage room for ammunition and as a watchtower.

This mosque has an area of ​​about 1.3 hectares with a complex area surrounded by a wall one meter high and covering an area of ​​2 hectares. No wonder, then, that you can find lots of mixtures of Chinese, Javanese, Hindu, and European. Visitors will be amazed by the beauty of the mosque and minaret, which is the most complete architecture. You can stroll through the mosque area and learn about the history of mosque construction.

Interesting activities in the Banten Great Mosque

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Many travelers who visit the Great Mosque of Banten for religious tourism. Most of them were visitors to the Sultanate of Banten, who stopped briefly at the Grand Mosque of Banten. This mosque itself is usually used for community prayers during Islamic holidays such as Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr. Every Friday the mosque is also very crowded with visitors.

You can walk around the mosque and look for the mosque's uniqueness. Enjoying the beauty of the city of Banten from the top of the tower can also be one of the activities that can be done. But you have to be patient to climb the ladder, which has 38 steps in total. This is all the more true as some sections of the stairs are very narrow and only suitable for one person. So you have to be patient to get to the top.

In addition to the opportunity to visit the mosque, you can also make a pilgrimage in the Banten Sultanate, which has many graves of former people. Travelers tend to buy not only pilgrims but also snacks and souvenirs in the area as there are so many vendors selling their wares. In addition, the price offered is very cheap and can be negotiated by buyers. The goods are also of high quality so you don't have to hesitate to buy them.

Way to the Great Mosque of Banten

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This mosque is located in Banten Lama Village, Kasemen District, Serang City, Banten Province. To visit this religious tourist place, visitors can use land and sea routes. The overland route can lead directly to the mosque and the Sultanate of Banten. However, if you use the train, get off at Karangatau station and travel a distance of about 1 km.

The sea route itself can be reached via the port of Karangtau, about 1.5 km away. There are so many road options with good conditions to get to the Banten Sultanate. There are three alternative roads from the east or directions from Tangerang, Jakarta and the surrounding area. There are now two route options from western regions such as Cilegon City and Sumatra, namely toll roads and non-toll roads.

In the meantime, the majority from the south like Pandeglang and Lebak Regencies will have routes as taken from the eastern region. From the eastern region, the first choice is of course the Tengerang Merak toll road and will leave the East Serang toll booth. When exiting the toll booth, you cannot immediately turn right onto Jalan Armada Kota Serang. You must first turn through Tugu Debus Park and enter Jalan Jenderal Sudirman.

Next, you need to enter the Pintu Serang Timur toll road and turn left to enter the Jalan Armada. From Jalan Armada you need to continue to Jalan Ayip Usman. At the end of the street you have to turn left and enter Jalan Raya Banten until you reach the Cibanten Bridge. Then turn left and you will reach the mosque and Sultanate of Banten.

Visiting religious tourism can indeed be an option to fill up your free time. In addition to vacation, you can also say a prayer for all your wishes that are being worked on. Not only that, your insight into history will also improve as you visit these religious tourist spots. In addition, the Banten Great Mosque has a unique building and a very deep history.