The striking, modernist Masjid Istiqlal (instagram.com/masjidistiqlal.official) is among the largest mosques in the world. Visitors are welcome here – free guided tours are given daily – and the 22-acre mosque has a real "wow" factor that holds people enthralled. The mosque is vast (it can accommodate 120,000 worshippers) and the interior of the main prayer hall sparkles with reflective surfaces; much of this seriously impressive mosque is clad in marble from East Java.
The name Istiqlal comes from the Arabic word for independence, and the mosque was opened by Sukarno, Indonesia’s first president, in 1978 to commemorate Indonesian independence. Designed by Frederich Silaban, a Christian architect from North Sumatra, Masjid Istiqlal is directly over the road from the Jakarta Cathedral – which, Indonesians will tell you, demonstrates their acceptance of religious diversity.
Free guided tours depart from the office at the mosque’s main entrance every 30 minutes from 10am until 4.30pm (although there are no tours at 12pm, 12.30pm or 3.30pm). You’ll need to have your legs and arms covered and will be given a sarong if necessary. Non-Muslim women are not required to cover their heads.
