Istiqlal Mosque

The idea of a national mosque emerged soon after independence in 1945. A foundation, Yayasan Masjid Istiqlal, was established in 1954, and a design competition launched in 1955 was won by Friedrich Silaban, a Christian architect from North Sumatra, with a design entitled Ketuhanan (Divinity). President Sukarno laid the foundation stone on 24 August 1961 on the site of the former Wilhelmina Park.

Construction took around seventeen years, and President Suharto inaugurated the mosque on 22 February 1978. The mosque's managers describe it as the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, with room for about 200,000 worshippers on a site of 9.5 hectares. A major renovation was completed in 2020, which included plans for an underground passage, the Tunnel of Friendship, towards the cathedral opposite.

Istiqlal is the stage for many of Indonesia's national religious moments: Eid prayers held here are broadcast across the country, and the mosque hosts study circles, lectures and charity programmes throughout the year. Its relationship with the cathedral opposite is a point of local pride; the two congregations have long shared parking space during Christmas and Eid celebrations, and the pairing is often cited as a symbol of tolerance.