IO – In addition to historical tourism, you can do a religious tour when visiting the city of Malacca, Malaysia, as the city also has several unique mosques.
Three such mosques attract tourists when visiting Malacca.
1. Tanah Mosque
Tanah Mosque was built in 1730 by Sheikh Imam Maznum, an Islamic missionary from Gujarat, India. “Tanah” means “clay”.
Uniquely, the mosque was built using clay and with egg whites as mortar. Unfortunately, the original building is no longer there, following several renovations.
However, visitors can find evidence of the mosque’s history, namely, transparent ceramics on one part of the pillars of the mosque.
2. Datuk Machap Mosque
Datuk Machap Mosque is also a historical building. It was built by a Chinese Muslim missionary in 1865.
Not surprisingly, this mosque has Chinese elements in the pillars and walls. It is said that a wealthy merchant from Bugis Makassar, who allied with the Sultan of Malacca against the Portuguese, fled to the upper reaches of the Malacca River and ended up there. He finally built a small mosque out of wood; this became the first original mosque.
This mosque is also known as a place for refugees.
3. Melaka Straits Floating Mosque
Not only in Indonesia, but Malacca also has a floating mosque, by the sea. Seeing the mosque, visitors from Indonesia might be reminded of the Floating Mosque in Makassar.
Although the shape is not similar, both of them are standing on the water. It is not a cultural heritage but has become a tourist destination because of its unique building. (Mia Kamila)