Masjid Sultan, 2001

Masjid Sultan was built within the royal precinct of Kampung Glam near the palace of Sultan Hussain in 1824. The original mosque was built in the traditional style of Southeast Asian mosques. A new mosque replaced it in 1924 - the present Masjid Sultan, which was designed by an Irish architect, Denis Santry, of Swan & Maclaren. Its architectural style could be called Orientalist - an eclectic mix of various architectural elements from Islamic and Western traditions. Other mosques built in this style include Masjid Abdul Gaffoor and Masjid Hajjah Fatimah. This Orientalist style can also be found in the designs of some public buildings in Malaysia like the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station.

Exhibition is on at the Asian Civilisations Museum till 31 December 2002. This document is part of a joint project of the Asian Civilisations Museum and the University Scholars Programme, National University of Singapore. The image and accompanying text appear here with the kind permission of the Asian Civilisations Museum.

Last updated: February 2002