Baiturrahman Grand Mosque

Banda Aceh, Indonesia

The grand mosque of Banda Aceh, symbol of the Acehnese people's enduring Islamic identity. Remarkably, it survived the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that destroyed much of the surrounding city.

Historical Context

The Aceh Sultanate (1496–1903) was one of the most powerful Islamic states in Southeast Asia. The Dutch burned the original mosque in 1873 during their invasion but rebuilt it in 1879 as a gesture of reconciliation.