From the NST series on The Old & The New

Looks the same after 279 years

DRIVING past this mosque in Malacca, you may not realise that it is actually 279 years old. In fact, Masjid Kampung Hulu is the oldest functioning mosque in Malaysia in its original location (at the corner of Jalan Masjid Kampung Hulu and Jalan Masjid).

Interestingly, the mosque was commissioned by the Dutch as part of their multi-religious policy.

Before them, the Portuguese had ordered the destruction of all signs of non-Christian establishments.

This included the tearing down of Malacca’s first mosque.

And true to its multi-cultural intent, the style of the mosque has the characteristics of a Javanese mosque with its three layers of flared pyramidal roofs.

But unlike traditional Javanese mosques, Masjid Kampung Hulu does not have timber walls. Instead, they are made of stone and brick.

Also, like other mosques found in Malacca, you will find Chinese ornamentation like the crown-like pinnacle surmounting the roofs, ceramic roof and floor tiles from the Qing Dynasty and the stone minaret with its pagoda-like form.

Another distinctive feature of Masjid Kampong Hulu is its use of carved sea stones lining the inside of the dome.

The two pictures, taken 70 years apart, show a mosque that seems to have remained largely unchanged, except maybe for the kind of traffic it sees these days.