Great Mosque of Banten

The Great Mosque of Banten (Masjid Agung Banten) is a 16th-century historic mosque located in Banten Lama, Kasemen, Serang, Banten. Built during the Banten Sultanate, it is one of the oldest mosques in Indonesia and a major heritage and pilgrimage site. Notable for its distinctive minaret, Javanese-Chinese architectural influences, and adjacent archaeological complex, it reflects the early spread of Islam in western Java.

Visitors can expect a large historic mosque complex in Banten Lama with a spacious prayer hall, courtyard, and the iconic 24-meter brick minaret resembling a lighthouse. The site includes ancient tombs of Banten sultans, ruined pavilions, and surrounding archaeological remains. The setting is open and flat near the coast, with active worship areas, pilgrimage activity, and nearby heritage structures to explore on foot.

Built between 1552 and 1570 under Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin, the first Sultan of Banten, the mosque served as the central religious center of the Banten Sultanate, a major Islamic kingdom in western Java. The minaret was added in 1620 under Sultan Abul Mafakhir Mahmud Abdulkadir, designed by a Chinese architect Cek Ban Cut. The complex reflects the early Islamization of Java and the sultanate's maritime power in the 16th-17th centuries.

The mosque is a revered Islamic religious site and pilgrimage destination, housing the tombs of Banten sultans. It represents the cultural heritage of the Banten Sultanate and showcases syncretic architecture combining Javanese, Islamic, Chinese, and European elements. It remains an active place of worship and a symbol of Islamic identity in Banten Province.