Al-Akbar Mosque, Islamic mosque in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Al-Akbar is a mosque in Surabaya, Indonesia, featuring a central dome surrounded by four smaller blue domes that define its skyline. The complex includes multiple levels with prayer halls, teaching areas, and courtyards connected through an innovative floor system designed for structural support.
Construction began in 1995 following an initiative by Mayor Soenarto Soemoprawiro and paused during the 1997 Asian economic crisis. President Abdurrahman Wahid inaugurated the completed building in 2000, which has since served as a religious center for the city.
The name means 'The Great Mosque,' and worshippers gather here for daily prayers alongside Friday sermons that draw large congregations. Local families often visit together after evening prayers, using the open courtyards and shaded walkways as meeting spaces where community life naturally unfolds.
The complex can accommodate large groups of visitors daily, with separate entrances and areas that ease movement between floors. Visitors should wear modest clothing and remove shoes before entering prayer spaces, while women can often borrow headscarves at the entrance.
The tower reaches a height of 99 meters (325 feet), a number that references the 99 names of Allah in Islamic tradition. Its foundation rests on more than 2000 poles driven deep into unstable ground to stabilize the entire structure.
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