The National Mosque of Malaysia
The National Mosque of
Malaysia
The National Mosque of
Malaysia is located in Kuala Lumpur. It has a capacity of 15,000 people
and is situated among 13 acres (53,000 m2) of beautiful gardens. The original
structure was designed by a three-person team from the Public Works Department
- UK architect Howard Ashley, and Malaysians Hisham Albakri and Baharuddin
Kassim. The mosque was built in 1965 on the site of a church, the Venning Road
Brethren Gospel Hall which had stood there since 1922 but appropriated by the
Malaysian government .The mosque is a bold and modern approach in reinforced
concrete, symbolic of the aspirations of a then newly independent Malaysia. The
mosque underwent major renovations in 1987, and the once-pink concrete roof is
now clad in green and blue tiles. Today, Masjid Negara continues to stand sleek
and stylish against the Kuala Lumpur skyline. An underground passage leads to
the National Mosque located near the railway station, along Jalan Sultan
Hishamuddin. Its unique modern design embodies a contemporary expression of
traditional Islamic art calligraphy and ornamentation. Near the mosque is the
Makam Pahlawan (Heroes' Mausoleum), a burial ground of several Malaysian
politicians. Makam Pahlawan is a 7-pointed star concrete roofed structure.