Malacca Mosque: The Aesthetics of Old Mosques in Malaysia

Abstract

The old mosques in Malacca are the historical monuments or historical remains that are highly valuable to the development and Islamic civilization in Malaysia. The construction of the old mosques in Malacca around the 18th century represents the greatness of Islam in the state. In fact according to historical records, Malacca was once the most prominent center for dissemination of Islam in Southeast Asia that was formerly known as the ’Nusantara’. These old mosques had left behind unique aesthetics values, the result of cultural mixing occurred more than 300 years ago. Descriptive study was carried out in order to appreciate the aesthetics found in these old mosques. The study will focus on three of the oldest mosques in Malacca namely Tengkera Mosque, Kampung Hulu Mosque and Kampung Keling Mosque. Aesthetics appreciation is more towards the architecture, the art of carving/engraving and calligraphy art found in the three mosques. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n27p1342