Masjid al Akbar

Surabaya


Perhaps the most impressive modern mosque in Indonesia. You'll probably get a glimpse of Masjid al Akbar's magnificent array of bulbous watery-turquoise-tiled domes as you exit the city. Staff are happy to show visitors around and will accompany you up the elevator to the top of the freestanding ottoman-style minaret, which offers spectacular views.

Take any bus heading for the main bus terminal, ask for the mosque and you'll be dropped off on Jl Ahmad Yani, 1km from the building. From here you can walk through quiet residential streets or take a becak. A taxi from central Surabaya is around 50,000Rp. The traffic can be terrible.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Surabaya attractions

1. Governor's Residence

5.42 MILES

A holdover from the early 20th century, the former governor's residence, with its front porch colonnade and touches of gold paint, fronts an expanse of…

2. Monumen Kapal Selam

5.43 MILES

Surabaya’s foremost stretch of renovated waterside real estate centres on the iron hulk that is Pasopati, a massive Russian submarine commissioned into…

3. Gedung PTP XI

6.9 MILES

The impressive Indo-European–style Gedung PTP XXII government office building is worth seeking out if you're an architecture fan.

4. Jembatan Merah

7.05 MILES

Originally the old city was divided along ethnic lines, with Europeans on the west side of the Kali Mas river and Chinese, Arabs and Javanese on the east…

5. Kong Co Kong Tik Cun Ong Temple

7.1 MILES

The highly evocative Kong Co Kong Tik Cun Ong delivers a blast of unfiltered culture. The primarily Buddhist complex (with dashes of Confucian and Taoist…

6. Pasar Pabean

7.23 MILES

Pasar Pabean is a sprawling, darkly lit market, which links the Chinese and Arab Quarters, where you can buy everything from Madurese chickens to Chinese…

7. House of Sampoerna

7.43 MILES

Undoubtedly the city’s best-presented attraction, the House of Sampoerna is home to one of Indonesia’s most famous kretek cigarette manufacturers (now…

8. Mesjid Ampel

7.58 MILES

The Mesjid Ampel is the most sacred mosque in Surabaya. While non-Muslims aren't allowed to enter the mosque itself, the souk-style streets surrounding it…