Religious, Spiritual sights in Sumatra
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
Christian Paraphernalia
You'll see more Christian paraphernalia in Toba than you will in the American Bible Belt. In Batak communities, homes are typically decorated with tapestries of a long-haired Jesus and gold cross necklaces adorn cleavage. The rice paddies and villages are cultivated around sober Protestant-style churches and tombs merging traditional Batak architecture and Christian crosses.
This was once the 'heart of darkness' from the perspective of the European and American missionaries and the first evangelists met their makers by the tips of spears. Good timing brought survival and fame to a German missionary named Nommenson. His arrival preceded a bumper crop and in return the…
reviewed
-
Mesjid Raya Baiturrahman
With its brilliant white walls and liquorice-black domes, the Mesjid Raya Baiturrahman is a dazzling sight on a sunny day. The first section of the mosque was built by the Dutch in 1879 as a conciliatory gesture towards the Acehnese after the original one had been burnt down.
Two more domes - one on either side of the first - were added by the Dutch in 1936 and another two by the Indonesian government in 1957. The mosque survived intact after the 2004 earthquake and tsunami, a sign interpreted by many residents as direct intervention from the divine. The best time to catch the mosque is during Friday afternoon prayers, when the entire building and yard are filled with…
reviewed
-
Grand Mosque
Just around the corner from the palace is the unusual black-domed Grand Mosque, which was commissioned by the sultan in 1906. The Moroccan-style building has ornate carvings, Italian marble and stained glass from China.
Dress modestly when visiting the mosque - women are asked to cover their heads with the scarves provided.
reviewed
-
Grand Mosque
Just around the corner from the palace is the unusual black-domed Grand Mosque, which was commissioned by the sultan in 1906. The Moroccan-style building has ornate carvings, Italian marble and stained glass from China.
Dress modestly when visiting the mosque - women are asked to cover their heads with the scarves provided.
reviewed