Masjid Jamek

The Masjid Jamek is located right in the center of Kuala Lumpur, its onion domes an iconic part of the city's old town skyline.

the roofs of Masjid Jamek

Masjid Jamek is one of the oldest mosques in Kuala Lumpur. It was designed and built by an English architect in 1909 in a blend of Moorish and Indian Mughal architectural styles, and paid for by the British colonial government. Until the construction of Malaysia's National Mosque in the 1960s, Masjid Jamek more or less filled that role and served as the city's main mosque.

the entrance to the mosque

I was exploring old central KL on foot when I walked past the mosque. I hadn't really planned to visit - I didn't even know that you could - but when I walked past, I noticed on the sign that it was the visiting hours, so I decided to go in. A caretaker working at the entrance had me sign a guestbook.

inside the prayer hall

"Where are you from?" the caretaker asked me.

"The United States."

"The third one this morning!" he pointed in the guestbook to a previous entry. "There were two from Los Angeles."

"I'm from Texas!" I told him.

"Ah!" he made finger guns, like a cowboy shooting in the air. "Don't mess with Texas!"

the courtyard of the mosque

The mosque is built on top of an old Malay burial ground, and there are plaques and memorials in the mosque's courtyard. The courtyard itself is one of the most tranquil spots in KL, with leafy palm trees and cool fountains.

Masjid Jamek is small, but beautiful

The mosque sits along the banks of KL's two converging rivers. Although it's small, you can see the iconic white domes from all over central KL. Though I hadn't planned to visit, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. This is one reason why I prefer exploring the city on foot - you never know what you might discover while walking.

gardens and foundtains at the mosque