Located at the heart of Banda Aceh, this grand mosque becomes one of Aceh’s signatures that symbolize the religion, culture, spirit and struggle.
The majestic of this mosque is can be seen when the Tsunami in 2004 happened in Aceh, but this mosque can hold the storm and stand still.
Speaking of the tragedy that happened during the Tsunami in Aceh, Baiturrahman grand mosque was become the sanctuary for hundreds people who need shelter from the Tsunami that flattened the entire city.
This mosque was saved from quake and tsunami but it suffered some minor damage, while the 35-meter minaret by the main gate is now slightly tilted and cracked.
Having bright white wall for the exterior and glorious black dome, marked by a 35 meter high tower, a large 7 domes and 7 minarets, this 130 years old grand mosque is typical of an antique and beautiful building that ever build in Indonesia.
History recall that this mosque was first built from wood during 1621, under the reign of Sultan Iskandar Muda. Other said that this mosque was built even earlier in 1292 by Sultan Alaidin Mahmudsyah.
The mosque was designed by an Italian architect in a North Indian Moghul style, and it characterized by grand domes and minarets.
The Baiturrahman is similar to the prototype for many mosques in Indonesia and Malaysia, which was first introduced by the Dutch and British colonialists.
However, Moghul Revival architecture is now embraced by the Muslim faithful, and has widely displaced the tiered-roof mosque in vernacular shape.
At early begin, any Acehnese initially refused to pray at Baiturrahman, because it was built by Dutch infidels with ambitions to conquer Aceh, but today it is the pride of Banda Aceh.
During the Aceh war in 1873, the mosque was destroyed.
Realizing the value and the importance to the people in Aceh, in 1879, Major General Vander who served as a military general at the time, gave an order to rebuild the mosque as promised by Governor General Van Lansberge in 1877.
There was two domes were added by the Dutch in 1936 and two other vaults added by the Indonesian government in 1957.
Tsunami Museum
Located at Jalan Iskandar Muda, Banda Aceh, the museum is open every day (except Friday) at 10:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 17:00.
The style of this building is quite unique, it has stage house style or Rumah Panggung, and it resembles a ship with a chimney, when we see from far.
Inside the museum, you can find a narrow hallway with rumble noises waterwall on both sides as if to remind the enormity of the tsunami.
Aceh Tsunami Museum displays an electronic simulation of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, the photographs of the victims and the stories of the survivors.
This Museum that was built with Rp 70 billion funds has 2 stairs, where the first floor is an open area that can be seen from the outside and its function as a place to commemorate the tsunami.
On this floor there are several rooms that contain tsunami track record in 2004.
There is tsunami showroom, pre-Tsunami, the day of the tsunami and post-tsunami space.
Also, there are some pictures of tsunami, tsunami trace artifacts and dioramas displayed in this floor.
On the 2nd floor containing instructional media in the form of a library, props, space 4D, and a souvenir shop.
The exterior of the museum is to express cultural diversity of Aceh with decorative ornament element of transparency such as bamboo weaving.
The interior view will lead you to the contemplation of the devastating disaster suffered by the people of Aceh as well surrender and recognition of the strength and power of God.
Aceh Tsunami Museum was built on the initiative of several institutions like the Reconstruction Agency for Aceh and Nias, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Government of Aceh, the Government of Banda Aceh and the Indonesian Architects Association.
The museum was inaugurated in February 2008.
The purpose of development in addition to the memory of the earthquake that led to the 2004 tsunami as well as well as being an educational center and as a center for evacuation if the tsunami comes again.
At that time the tsunami in 2004 killed more than 120 thousand people, and becames the national tragedy of all time.
RI 001 Aircraft Monument
The monument of Aircraft Replica seulawah RI-001 is the monument of the real first aircraft that purchased by the State of Indonesia, with financial support from all the people of Aceh who voluntarily collect funds to buy this aircraft.
In addition, this aircraft has an important role in the early days of independence as well as the history of aviation of Indonesia.
The monument Aircraft Replica seulawah RI 001 is located on the Blang Padang ground, Baiturrahman sub-district, Banda Aceh; it takese only 1 kilometer from the center of Banda Aceh.
To go to this monument, visitors can use public transport in the city, the local used to call this transportion as labi labi.
The construction of the monument was first coined by the Air Force, for the intended to commemorate the services of people of Aceh who have voluntarily collect their possessions to finance the purchase of these aircrafts.
After the completion of the development process of this monument, the construction was inaugurated by the Armed Forces commander General L.B. Moerdani on 30 July 1984.
The aircraft used to have a code HEC VR aircraft, after it was bought and taken to Indonesia, the Indonesian first President Soekarno rename the plane into Seulawah, which means The Mountain of Gold and it transformed into a registration code RI 001.
This place is always crowed by the visitors, especially in the morning and afternoon. With the public facilities made by the government of Banda Aceh, people can use it for free.
Moreover, the visitors can also enjoy the distinction by hanging out around the stalls or shelters around the monument.