Kelantan In Heritage

Masjid Kampung Laut was Built in the 1730's, the mosque is representative of architectural styles that reflect most of the characteristics of traditional local architecture. The architectural styles like those of local houses and buildings of that era are influenced by a number of factors such as the climatic conditions, the availability of building materials, the ethnic background and local craftsmanship. For the Kampung Laut mosque, only the most skilled local wood carvers and builders were commissioned to build the structure. As it was built close to the Kelantan riverbank, the mosque was raised on stilts, about 1m(3feet) above ground level to avoid floods that inundate the area during monsoon seasons.


Four main columns support the upper most roof which is separated from the lower double-tiered roofs by timber louvres. This gap provides natural cross ventilation in the central area and also admits light. The roof is shaped in 3 tiers and very much resembles the Agung mosque in Demak, Northern Java, Indonesia circa 1479. It is said that the square plan of the Kampung Laut mosque was probably modelled after the Agung Mosque. Since there is almost a unified agreement that there are marked similarities between the two mosques, then the Javanese influence on the architectural style of masjid kampung laut is evident in the tiered roofs. The shape of the roof resembles a peak or mount which in the Hindu religion is regarded as the sacred abode of the Dewa. In Malay mythology, the mounts are where the ancestors' of kings were believed to have come from.

In the early centuries before the arrival of Islam, the dominant religion was Hindu. Hence the structure of the roof is similar also to the early Hindu and Buddhist chandi.

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