“Imagine merchants from distant lands,” I begin before Masjid Jami’ Al-Kassim. These merchants journeyed far to trade in Batavia. They also sought a place to worship. This is the story of Masjid Jami Kampung Baru Inpak, also known as Masjid Kampung Baru. Some call it Masjid Bandengan. It is one of Jakarta’s oldest mosques.
It sits on Jalan Bandengan Selatan in Pekojan, Tambora. Masjid Al-Anshor is nearby. Muslim merchants from India built this mosque. They traveled and lived in Batavia. The DKI Jakarta government has declared it a cultural heritage site.
Sheikh Abubakar, a merchant from India, built Masjid Jami Kampung Baru. Construction began in 1743. It finished in 1748. In 1829, a Dutch article called it Moorsche Tempel. This means Temple of the Moors. Perhaps Moorish Muslims built it. Then Moor identified as Indian Muslim. Moor usually means North African Muslims. These Moors once conquered Europe. They founded an Islamic empire in Andalusia, Spain.
Today, the building is not original. Only the square frame remains. Some grape carvings are still here. A few pillars remain by the windows. In the late 1980s, Pekojan buildings were torn down for a flyover. Masjid Kampung Baru was damaged during improvements. The builders did not consider its history.
The mosque’s base is square. It has overlapping roofs. The top roof is shaped like a pyramid. This shape resembles traditional Javanese buildings. Usually, four main pillars support the pyramid roof.
The mosque covers about 1,050 square meters. The floor has white tiles. Green and red mats cover the tiles. Antique lamps hang from the ceiling. They have been there since the mosque was built. The mosque once had a beautiful wooden mimbar. The mimbar is a pulpit. It was replaced. Now, the original mimbar is in the Jakarta History Museum.