Description of the attraction
The Agung Demak Mosque is considered one of the oldest mosques in Indonesia. The building of the mosque stands in the center of Demak city, Central Java province on the island of Indonesia. It is worth noting the fact that Demak is the main city in this province and the capital of the Demak regency. Also, on the territory of modern Demak, the Demak Sultanate was previously located - a Muslim state in the western part of the island of Java, which was the first Muslim state on this island and played an important role in the spread of Islam in Indonesia.
It is believed that the mosque was built by one of the nine Islamic saints during the era of the Demak Sultanate (15th century) and the reign of Sultan Raden Patakh, who was the first sultan of this state. Although the outward appearance of the mosque has undergone changes, most of the original features of the temple have been preserved.
Agung Demak is considered a classic example of traditional Javanese architecture. Unlike mosques that are built and located in the Middle East, this mosque is built of wood. The roof of this mosque is tiered and supported by four teak pillars. Domes in Indonesian mosques only began to appear somewhere in the 19th century. The tiered roof of the Demak Cathedral Mosque has many similarities with the wooden religious buildings of Hindu-Buddhist cultures on the island of Java and Bali. The main entrance to the mosque consists of two doors, which are decorated with decorative carved ornaments made of plants, crowns, vases; there is also an animal ornament (an animal's head with an open mouth). Also on the territory of the mosque there are graves of the sultans who ruled the Demak sultanate, and a museum.
