Masjid Tengkera, Melaka

A DISCOVERY THE CONSERVATION OF ISSUE NO.01 | NOV 2020

TRANQUERAH
MOSQUE

CONTENTS

01 02 03 04

Background History Architecture Style/ Overview of conservation Significance of
Element Building/ Place

Dear Readers,

I’m proudly present booklet of A discovery
Conversation of Tranquerah Mosque. I’ve
use all my power to gather the infor-
mation for this case study. Thanks to all
the support I received from others and I
finally done with the editing.

As you flip through the next pages of the
booklet, you will be able to read a variety
background and history of Tranquerah
Mosque. You may notice the words Con-
servation, Historical and Unique are al-
most always present in every page. Why is
that so ? It is because these three words
are inseparable. They have always come
together and as you read through the
booklet, you will soon figure out why.

I hope you take the time to read what the
content of the booklet have to offer. There
are so much to read, so much to pounder,
and so much more to know because like I
always say, we are truly, after all, still
learning.

Syarifah Nur Adlin
2019660802

ISSUE NO.01 | NOV 2020

MASJID TRANQUERAH
BACKGROUND HISTORY

Tranquerah Mosque is one of the oldest
mosques in the country. Featuring a Sumatran-
style façade similar to Masjid Kampong Kling’s
the current brick structure is more than 200
years old. It is set approximately two km to-
wards the road leading to Port Dickson, north-
west of Malacca town.

Its also formely purchased wood
known ad the poles and roofted
Tranquerah Great with palm leaves
Mosque, its im- which then modi-
portant heritage for fied in year 1910 to
the community of its present form.
tranquerah and state The mosque was
of Melaka. The once used as the
building of this main mosque of
mosque symbolizes Melaka before Al-
the arrival of Islam Azim Mosque was
that has begun to Constructed. The
spread in Melaka mosque was then
since 600 years ago. gazette as heritage
Built around 1728, building under Na-
the building was tional Heritage Act
originally made of 2005

Locals call it Tranquerah Mosque
and the original 18th-century
structure, made of timber
brought from Kalimantan, Indo-
nesia, was built in 1728. In 1780
the mosque underwent its first
renovation project: an extensive
rebuilding that left only the orig-
inal minaret, a freestanding oc-
tagonal structure with Chinese-
style embellishments, untouched.
Today, the main complex resem-
bles most Malaccan mosques with
a main prayer hall featuring a
three-level roof and Malay, Chi-
nese and Indonesian decorative
elements.

In 1976 Masjid Tranquerah was
declared a historical building by
the Museum and Antiquities De-
partment. Within the mosque
complex is a graveyard with the
tomb of Sultan Hussein Mansur
Shah of Johor (the royal leader
who signed the cession of Singa-
pore over to Sir Stamford Raffles
in 1819). You will have to re-
move your shoes before entering
the mosque, plus female visitors
are required to dress conserva-
tively (knees and elbows cov-
ered); plus if possible wear a
headscarf as a sign of respect. Al-
so, as with any Malaysian
mosque, be reminded that during
prayer times the mosque is not
open to visitors.

In terms of concept, the
mosque was built based on
the principle of Islam, with
form main pillars as the basis
of the roof and done, which
symbolically signifying the
relationship between man,
nature and the creator.
Meanwhile the peak of the
mosque become the sources
of all hopes and prays to Al-
lah the Almighty.

…………………………………………………

In the terms of physical design,
the mosque was built based on
the culture of the Malay Archi-
perago with a combination of
Eastern and Western art, The
Architecturaal uniqueness of the
flora motif and ornate carvings
on the wood is clearly visible at
the door arch , entrance door of
the mosque and windows; walls,
floors and intricate carvigs espe-
cially on the pulpit, pillars and
door arch. On the outside, there
is an octangular concrete tower
decorated with attractive and
unique stonework motif.

ARCHITECTURE ISSUE NO.01 | NOV 2020
STYLE / ELEMENT
The results from the observation carried
out found design decorative motifs on the
pulpit of the Mosque Tranquerah also
shows use of motifs and the use of color
the golden red and yellow is a cultural
symbol Chinese society. There are even
the use of decorative tiles on the wall part
of this mosque which in a its iconic fea-
tures design features architectural forms
of culture Chinese society. The decorative
art of this tile directly becomes a fictional
identity the architectural form of the
mosque in the state Malacca.

There also clarified that every aesthetic
element that inspired in architectural de-
sign this Tranquerah Mosque is forms of
strengthening nature, which in turn trans-
lates to the flow of the developmental
process the third idea is transformation
natural adaptation

ISSUE NO.01 | NOV 2020

OVERVIEW OF

CONSERVATION

The beginning for building and maintenance. Each con-

conservation activities was servation activities involve

felt around 1980’s . It have intervention which effects

been seen to well runs and the 'value' of a historic build-

manageable due to the in- ing. Intervention should be 4 KEY PRINCIPLE OF
CONSERVATION
troduction of the Antiquities minimal and can be con-
1. Minimal intervention.
Act 1976 (Act 168), Town trolled depends on certain
2. Conducting scientific
and Country Planning Act circumstances, as it would research and laborato-
ries testing.
1976 (Act 172), the Local cause the loss of values in
3. Documentation of con-
Government Act (Act 171), cultural property. Stated in servation work.

enactments from state and any international charter 4. Applying effective meth-
ods and techniques.
local government, as well as such as Venice and Burra

the National Land Code, Charter in purpose to guide

which it enacted by the local in the conserving a heritage.

authority for the name of

conservation. A conservation work suc-

cessfully carried if it com-

A good conservation is per- plied to the basic principles

form based to principles, of conservation. Therefore,

hence in carrying a conserva- conserving a heritage should

tion work, it is crucial to un- always apply with the right

derstand some of its basic techniques and conservation

principles. The principle act methods. Ahmad (2006) also

as an important assistant in suggests four (4) key princi-

conserving a cultural proper- ples that should always prac-

ty, thus charters are one of ticed in conservation work in

the sources to guide for such Malaysia,

works. Conservation has

been identified as an action

or activity related with repair



Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits
of Malacca have developed over 500 years of trading
and cultural exchanges between East and West in the
Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe
have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural
heritage that is both tangible and intangible. With its
government buildings, churches, squares and fortifica-
tions, Melaka demonstrates the early stages of this
history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultan-
ate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning
in the early 16th century. Featuring residential and
commercial buildings, George Town represents the

British era from the end of the 18th century.
The two towns constitute a unique architec-
tural and cultural townscape without parallel
anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.

Official Website UNESCO

At St. Paul’s Church, Bukit St Paul’s

The old mosques in Malacca are the historical Type of Conservation
monuments or historical remains that are highly
valuable to the development and Islamic civiliza- Refurbishment
tion in Malaysia. The construction of the old Relocation
mosques in Malacca around the 18th century Rehabilitation
represents the greatness of Islam in the state. In Restoration
fact according to historical records, Malacca was Preservation
once the most prominent center for dissemina- Reconstruction
tion of Islam in Southeast Asia that was formerly Adaptation
known as the ’Nusantara’. These old mosques
had left behind unique aesthetics values, the re- The Importance of
sult of cultural mixing occurred more than 300 Conservation
years ago. Descriptive study was carried out in
order to appreciate the aesthetics found in these To restore and appreciate
old mosques. the uniqueness of a cultur-
al heritage
The architecture of old mosques in Ma- Image and identity of his-
lacca is very beautiful, unique and classic and still toric city
standing to this day. The most unique architec- Psychological value to his-
tural features of the mosque in the state is char- toric building
acterized by a uniform structure that looks al- To return history and be-
most similar, although there are differences in lief
design such as in Jasin, Melaka Tengah and Alor Architectural continuity
Gajah. Based on studies of several researchers and the importance of
from Malacca Museum Corporation (PERZIM), tourism industry
the Malays in the state once had their own phil-
osophical beliefs that each tier of the mosque’s
roof has a specific meaning and related to one
another. They believethat the top tier of the roof
means ‘human’s faith in God', the second tier,
'human to human relationship' and the third tier-
means 'nature' which links human to the creator.
There is an old view stating that the architecture
of every mosque in the state had foreign influ-
ences brought by traders from India, China and
Arab

Next, the old mosque can also enrich the
economy of the state of Melaka, where visitors
from foreign countries come to see the beauty
and comfort of the Islamic Civilisation Heritage.
The inflow of currency from foreign tourists
may also boost the local economy of the state of
Melaka.

In the booklet form:

SYARIFAH NUR ADLIN BINTI SYED ABDUL WAHED
2019660802 / AAP229 5F

Sr. Dr. HJH RUBIAH ABDUL RASHID