Masjid Negeri Sultan Abu Bakar
Encyclopedia
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
:Masjid Negeri Sultan Abu Bakar) is the state mosque of Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
, Malaysia. Located along Jalan Skudai, Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
, the mosque was constructed between 1892 and 1900, under the direction of Sultan Abu Bakar.
Tuan Haji Mohamed Arif bin Punak was the architect of the mosque. He intentionally based much of its appearance on colonial English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Victorian architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
as noted by the minarets that take the form of British 19th century clocktowers. The architecture of the mosque additionally includes some Moorish architecture
Moorish architecture
Moorish architecture is the western term used to describe the articulated Berber-Islamic architecture of North Africa and Al-Andalus.-Characteristic elements:...
elements, along with some minor Malay influence. Tuan Haji Mohamed Arif bin Punak was supervised by the Johor government engineer Dato' Yahya bin Awalluddin who communicated the Anglophile sentiments of Sultan Ibrahim ibni Sultan Abu Bakar who was the Sultan of Johor
Sultan of Johor
Sultan of Johor is a hereditary seat and the nominal ruler of the Malaysian state of Johor. In the past, the sultan held absolute power over the state and was advised by a bendahara...
at that time. This Anglophile influence can further be seen in the British architectural influences not only on the Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque but also in several others government and palace buildings in Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
constructed during the same period.
The mosque sits on top of a prominent hill, overlooking the Straits of Johor
Straits of Johor
The Straits of Johor is a strait that separates the Malaysian state of Johor to the north from Singapore to the south....
. The mosque is named for Sultan Abu Bakar, the father of Sultan Ibrahim who ordered its construction.