The National Mosque is the pioneer modernist architecture masterpiece in Malaysia. Completed in 1965, the mosque was created and built during the early post-independence era, that was heavily dependent on the former British colonial legacies, including the architecture.

View from the front Islamic garden © Stefan Fussan | Wikimedia.org |   Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

However, its architect team, headed by the local architect, Dato' (Dr.) Ar. Baharuddin Abu Kassim initiated an ingenious and unique design defying the normal architectural language of domes and arches, the foreign architectural influences introduced by the British.

National Mosque has been served as the iconic symbol of Islam as the country official religion. The mosque is noted for its semi-open parasol dome, that was a resemblance of the umbrella used by the Malay rulers. While the minaret is topped with the semi-enclosed umbrella stands sturdily on a slender structure.

The veranda area © Khalzuri | Wikimedia.org |   Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
Stepping inside the mosque, will lead you the spacious and open corridor area on the upper floor, a reminisce to the veranda area of the Malay traditional house, a raise and open area that allows for cross-ventilation and thermal comfort for the indoor prayer area.

The mosque is a huge complex that can accommodate up to 15,000 worshippers at one time. It is a crucial destination for many government religious occasions, as well as a tour destination for many country's important guests. On this year, National Mosque celebrates its 50th year anniversary.

The main prayer hall © CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC-BY-SA-3.0