Underground Mosque at Tamansari Yogyakarta

Gumuling Mosque. (rri.co.id)

The mosque is unique. As the name suggests, the mosque is located in the basement. Moreover, the mosque two floors with a circular building also functioned as a fortress. No doubt, the mosque's walls are so thick. Masjid Sumur Gumuling (Gumuling Well Mosque) located in the tourist complex Tamansari. To reach the site, visitors can walk down the halls of the underground. Classic atmosphere felt so foot track stairs and pass through the hallway.

The location of the mosque can be reached from the car park the motorcycle in front of the entrance of the Castle towards the north. Then turn left to find the entrance. Follow the hallway to find the building of mosques are round and light brown or cream.

But do not imagine this mosque shape like most other mosques. Because it also functioned as a fortress, the shape of the building looks sturdy and large. Since 1812, the mosque is not enabled.

tamansari on 2007, wikipedia

Description Parjio, staff employees of the Castle, the mosque was established in 1765. He said, the underground mosque is a relic of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I and functioned until the reign of Sultan HB II.

"The mosque also functioned as a bastion of underground shelters," said Parjio duty at ticket booths.


He said the mosque was no longer used after the palace building Gedhe Masjid Kauman, located on the west Square lor Yogyakarta.

"No longer used after a massive earthquake and built mosques gedhe Kauman," he continued.

According to him, Well Gumuling mosque is unique because it was built underground so that the voice of the muezzin or khatib audible to all corners of the mosque. In each floor there are two mihrab or standing place imam to lead prayers congregation.

On the inside of the mosque, there are well surrounded by five ladder that symbolizes the number of pillars of Islam. Just below the stairs that meet in the middle there is a pool of water from wells Gumuling.

The top of the mosque form a circle without a roof. On the walls there are also many freely ventilated so the sunlight illuminating the inside of the mosque.

"Gumuling Known as rounded shape such as bolsters," said the interpreter maintain the mosque, Cipto Wiarjo (70), a local resident.

According to the uniqueness of the mosque building is built with thick walls. Nearly 1.25 meters ketebalannnya. He said, not with cement bricks glued present but using natural materials such as egg white.

He said the mosque was crowded with tourists. Among them for selfies or prewedding and others. By visiting the mosque imply traces the development of Islam in Yogyakarta Palace and the architectural grandeur of the past.

Reference

http://www.tribunnews.com/regional/2013/07/23/menyelusuri-masjid-bawah-tanah-di-tamansari-yogyakarta?page=3