Masjid Jamek

 

The Masjid Jamek in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is located at the meeting point of Gombak and Klang rivers. Opened to the public in 1909 by Sultan sire Alauddin Sulaiman Shah, then Sultan of Selangor, the Masjid Jamek is the oldest surviving mosque in Kuala Lumpur. Picturesquely surrounded by coconut palms, the mosque has been constructed to reflect Moorish architecture of the time period. Serene and beautiful, the mosque makes it hard to imagine you are right in the middle of one of the world’s fastest growing cities.

 

Before the Masjid Jamek was built, the Malay Burial Ground was located on site. It was the first Malay cemetery in Kuala Lumpur. Construction of the mosque required the buried to be exhumed, purified and transferred to the Gombak Muslim Cemetery after a prayer session. There’s no record of any protests from the public on this incident, most likely because it was done for religious purposes. The Masjid Jamek was architecturally designed by Arthur Benison Hubback, the assigned government architect of the time. The project cost 32,625 Malaysian Ringgitts, which was a hefty amount in the early 1900s, when the construction first began. The funds were raised by the government and the Malay community’s subscriptions.

 

Although the Masjid Jamek is represented in Moorish architecture, the actual inspiration came from the Mogul mosques in North India. The heavy brick walls and arched colonnades are topped by cupolas and minarets, while the prayer hall is surmounted by three domes. The central dome towers at 70 feet. The prayer hall used to open out onto a lovely courtyard, but now it’s completely roofed. There are two red and white striped minarets located on the two corners. These are identical in design to the umbrella-shaped cupolas on top. Several other small cupolas are located along the entrances and corners of the Masjid Jamek.

 

The Masjid Jamek served as the primary mosque in Kuala Lumpur until 1965, when the national Mosque was opened.

 

Visiting Kuala Lumpur and experiencing its multifaceted atmosphere doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. You can save a lot of money for activities and tours by staying at a discount hotel. Kuala Lumpur is a magnificent place to see history and modern times existing in harmony. If you are worried about expenses, check out the Citrus Hotel Kuala Lumpur for your accommodation needs. It’s not hard to find a good discount hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

 

 

Go Local In Kuala Lumpur: Three Things The Other Tourists Miss

Malaysian capital city Kuala Lumpur is world-famous for the Petronas Twin Towers, and every visitor hears about popular sights like the National Mosque, the Bird Park, and Batu Cave.

But the real strength of Kuala Lumpur is in its street life. Around the clock, the sidewalks are pulsing with local character, if you just know where to find it. Here are a few ideas to check out on your next visit:

1. Masjid India Night Market – every Saturday night, a narrow road called Lorong Tunku Abdul Rahman transforms from an anonymous alley into a bustling Malay street fair. It’s easy to overlook Malay culture and cuisine in predominantly Chinese Kuala Lumpur, so make sure you take advantage of this opportunity to see another side of Malaysia’s unique ethnic mix. You’ll find food, drinks, desserts, music, clothes, and a whole lot more.

WHERE: Lorong Tunku Abdul Rahman runs just behind Jalan TAR, a major thoroughfare running north from the old city center. If you’re riding the LRT, get off at the Masjid Jamek station and follow the crowds.

WHEN: Saturday nights, 6pm until 10pm.

2. Jalan Alor – Just around the corner from shopping zone Bukit Bintang, this street has been a mainstay of no-nonsense Chinese dining for decades. Almost 50 restaurants line both sides of the street, serving everything from fried rice to frog porridge. For a special treat, try the “chicken fish” at Restoran Meng Kee in the middle of the block.

WHERE: Jalan Alor is parallel to Jalan Bukit Bintang. Closest public transport is the KL Monorail’s Bukit Bintang station.

WHEN: Every night of the week, rain or shine. Most restaurants open at around 6pm and keep going until the last customers leave. A handful remain open around the clock, so won’t go hungry no matter when you arrive.

3. Kampung Baru – Right in the middle of some of Kuala Lumpur’s most expensive real estate, this enclave resists the march of time (and construction crews) thanks to a law guaranteeing the land here will always remain in the hands of the Malay families who live on it. Just a few hundred meters from the gleaming Petronas Towers, you can find houses on wooden stilts, and a slow-paced village lifestyle that almost seems to willfully exclude the hectic city outside. The main drag, Jalan Raja Muda Musa, is lined with little shops selling Malay food and sundries. In the side streets you’ll find old village-style wooden houses with friendly children playing out front.

WHERE: Take the LRT to the Kampung Baru station and then make two right turns to get to Jalan Raja Muda Musa, or walk to the kampung after checking out nearby Chow Kit market.

WHEN: Anytime. Friday just after noon you’ll be able to see the crowds pouring out of the mosque following prayers, a rare chance to see formal Malay costumes out of hokey artificial settings. Saturday from 6pm until late there’s a street market that’s also worth checking out.