Cut Mutiah Mosque, Rationalist mosque in Central Jakarta City, Indonesia
Cut Mutiah Mosque is a mosque in central Jakarta built in a rationalist style, with straight lines and plain forms typical of early 20th-century European architecture. The prayer hall sits at an angle to the rest of the building, and a central ventilation tower rises above the interior.
The building was constructed in 1922 as an office and served other purposes for several decades before being converted into a mosque in 1987 by official decree. The change of use left visible traces in the structure that visitors can still notice today.
The mosque takes its name from Cut Nyak Meutia, a woman from Aceh who fought against Dutch colonial rule. Her name appears at the entrance, and visitors often come here as a way to honor her memory.
The mosque is located in a central part of Jakarta and is easy to reach on foot if you are already in the area. Visiting outside the five daily prayer times gives you a better chance to look around the interior without disruption.
In most mosques, the mihrab and minbar are placed against the qibla wall, but here they stand in the center of the prayer hall. This comes from the fact that the room was never planned as a place of worship and kept its original layout after the conversion.
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