Baitul Makmur Grand Mosque in Jepara Regency, Central Java Province
Religious tourism becomes one of Jepara’s allures these days. It is because the region has several historical and beautiful mosques for tourists to visit. One of them is located in Kauman Village and it was built during the reign of Prince Arya (the foster son of Queen Kalinyamat). Aside from the historical value, the mosque has a majestic appearance and becomes a nice object for photography. Here is the good news. Tourists are allowed to enter and explore the mosque thoroughly, as long as they do not litter or harm the building. It is recommended to ask permission from the keepers too, actually.
The Nuance
Some people call it Jepara Grand Mosque. Despite the name, the size is not as big as people may expect. The exterior looks unique due to its layered roof. In the past, it has 5 layers in fact! These days, though, the mosque only has 2 layers as it has undergone several renovations back then. In terms of nuance, it feels sacred and peaceful for sure. Moreover, the environment is clean and neat. What about the architecture? At a glance, it is similar to Chinese architecture! However, the mosque uses the famous local teak on most parts of it.
Exploring Baitul Makmur Grand Mosque
Those who visit Baitul Makmur Grand Mosque should find out information regarding the history of the mosque. Have no worries. They can ask villagers or a tour guide nearby. It is said the mountain has undergone 3 renovations. The purpose was to accommodate and fulfill the pilgrims’ need for praying. The last renovation is done in 1989 and it replaced the teak with concretes. Another noticeable change is related to the roof, which has two layers instead of five.
Despite the age, Baitul Makmur Grand Mosque looks sturdy and well-maintained. Some of the parts of the mosque retain the teak materials, in fact. The Indonesian locals take a good care of the teaks by polishing them regularly. No wonder, the mosque looks astonishing both in its exterior and interior parts. Thus, tourists can take advantage of it for photography and sightseeing. The most interesting object perhaps is the podium, due to the attractive carvings. Tourists should not forget to take photos of it, therefore.
In terms of location, Baitul Makmur Grand Mosque resides near to Jepara Square (located in the south of it). Thus, it is quite reachable and noticeable. According to the locals, the mosque is able to accommodate more than 1000 people! Even tourists are allowed to explore it, as long as they do not come during the prayer times. Littering is also prohibited.
Nearby Attractions
- Mount Muria
- Shintapool
- Sreni Forest
How to Get There
A trip to Jepara Regency takes around 2 hours and 2 minutes, as the distance is 78.1 km. The best route to take is Kudus – Semarang Street, actually. It is for the fastest trip, without a doubt. Once arriving at Jepara Regency, tourists only need to reach Kauman Village where the mosque is located. Have no worries. This trip takes only 4 minutes, as the distance is 2 km. As for the best route, tourists should take Shima and Ahmad Yani Street.
Where to Stay
- Majesty Hotel
Indonesia’s Heritage Collection: Van Der Wijck Fort -Kebumen
One of the many Dutch heritage forts, Van Der Wijck Fort is unique because the entire building is made of red brick. You’ve seen? This fort with an octagonal plan looks more charming with its red color, compared to Dutch forts which are generally colorless or white. It looks like the fort from the front and inside uses red bricks, but still with the characteristics of a Dutch fort in Indonesia which has a large building structure, such as windows, doors and rooms. With an area of 3606,625 square meters,…
10 Most Unique Tourist Villages in Magelang, Makes You Don’t Want to Go Home
Magelang has a number of temples as the favorite tourist destinations. Besides Borobudur, you can visit several other places, such as tourist villages. There are several tourist villages around Borobudur Temple with a unique and interesting atmosphere. In addition to saving nature, you can also get to know the culture behind it. Temanggung VillageTemanggung Village was viral because it was called Nepal van Java. The view of the village at the foot of Mount Sumbing is really epic. Tanjungsari VillageIf you are interested in the process of making honey, you…
Amazing Tourist Destinations in Jepara, Central Java
Punuk Sapi BeachPunuk Sapi Beach is also popularly known as Pantai Lemah Abang which means “red land beach”. It is named so because this beach is indeed filled with mounds to hills with red soil that at first glance looks like a cow’s hump (punuk sapi is cow’s hump in English). This beach has black sand, but it is also beautiful like the white sand beaches. There are hammocks and swings that you can use to relax, as well as take pictures from a height. This beach is located in…
Arjuna Temple, A Relic of Hindu in the Ancient Mataram Kingdom
Arjuna Temple complex is the most photographed and visited of the surviving temples on the Dieng Plateau. Situated just a few hundred meter from the homestays in Dieng village, they are an obvious first stop on a tour of the sights in the area. Though they are far from the most imposing of Javanese temples, they are the earliest surviving Hindu temples in Central Java, so they are of great importance historically. Built a century or two before the great temples around Yogyakarta and Magelang, they mark the original phase…
