Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh Officially Designated as National Cultural Heritage
Indonesia’s Minister of Internal Affairs Tito Karnavian has described the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, as a source of national pride following its official designation as a National Cultural Heritage site.
According to Antara News, Tito stated that the designation demonstrates that the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque possesses significant historical, cultural, and religious value, not only for the Acehnese community but for Indonesia as a whole.
“The presentation of the certification designating the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque as a National Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture proves this is not only a point of pride for the Acehnese people, but also for Indonesia,” Tito said.
“The Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh is not only an icon of Banda Aceh and Aceh Province, but has now also become an icon of Indonesia,” he added.
Tito made these remarks whilst attending the closing ceremony of the Aceh Ramadhan Festival, which was combined with a communal breaking of the fast and Khanduri Nuzulul Quran celebration held in front of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque.
The government also presented a hiace operational vehicle to the mosque to support various management activities and address requests from the mosque’s administration.
“This operational vehicle is assistance from the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Following Disasters in Sumatra,” Tito said.
According to him, designating the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque as a National Cultural Heritage site represents an important step in preserving and protecting the historical and cultural values it contains.
The Baiturrahman Grand Mosque is recognised as one of Aceh’s historic buildings and serves as a centre for religious activities and religious tourism in Banda Aceh. Beyond its function as a place of worship, the mosque is frequently visited by tourists from various regions and abroad who wish to see its architecture and learn about its history.