The Dutch colonial administration rebuilt the mosque after an 1873 fire, reportedly as a gift to ease Acehnese anger. Gerrit Bruins made the original design, and L.P. Luijks adapted it and supervised construction. The first stone was laid in 1879, and the mosque was completed on December 27, 1881.
The article calls the style Mughal revival, with large domes and minarets. It began with one dome and one minaret and now has seven domes and eight minarets, added in 1935, 1958 and 1982. The black domes are hardwood shingles. The stone came from the Netherlands, the marble from China and the stained glass from Belgium.
The interior is 16,000 square feet (1,500 m²), and capacity is 30,000. The article dates the original mosque to 1612, and says some sources give 1292. The 2004 tsunami caused only minor damage.
Comments