Gorgeous and you get a free tour of the place! Finding where the tour starts isn't easy so here is a quick guide: When entering through gate nr 5 turn left. Turn right to walk between the two small buildings, one of them says Bank on it. You'll see very dark tinted glass windows and a door on your left. That's where you have to go. Or you just stand around lost in the middle of the place and wait until a guide comes back from a tour and picks you up (that's what we did). There you'll get clothes to cover up if necessary and they'll show you around the Mosque for 20-30 minutes, everything is 100% free.

Beautiful Mosque and well worth going to visit . We were show through the different areas by an English speaking guide. Highly recommended and suggest appropriate clothing is worn. Also be aware if you are unfit or unable to climb about 4 large flights of stairs this may not be a suitable tour for you.

Our guide told us that this is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and in the world with a capacity for 120,000 worshippers. The idea for the mosque dates to 1945 after the proclamation of Indonesian independence but the foundation stone was not laid until 1961 and the building inaugurated in 1978. The site was chosen by President Sukarno as it was near Merdeka Square and also to promote religious harmony with the nearby Catholic Cathedral and Immanuel Church, respectively Catholic and Protestant. I have visited more ornate mosques but nothing with the dimensions of Istiqlal. Seven entrances named after the names of God in Islam, 45m diameter dome to symbolise the year of independence, a minaret which is 66.66m high and representing the oneness of God and the 6,666 verses of the Quran.

Istiklal Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world. The mosque offered a guided tour for tourist every 30 minutes. Incoming tourist are guided to a waiting room, in which you side up for tour service (provides basic information, such as family name, country of origin, etc.). The information is not checked. During the guided tour of the Mosque, you will be asked to remove your shoes before entering the mosque. A bag is provided to carry your shoes. You are also provided with Hajib, though it seems to be optional during the visit. The guided tour takes a quick walk around the Mosque, which has 5 floors and may accommodate up to 120,000 people. Though during our visit, it doesn’t seem to be anywhere near at capacity (we visited during the Night Journey of the Prophet Muhammad SAW day). You can take pictures within the Mosque. The entire tour take about 0.5 hour.

This is the biggest masjid in South East Asia and it is huge and impressive. Lucky to have prayed Dhuhr in Jamaat in there. Great facilities inside, and clean. Lots of small stalls outside of the masjid selling snacks, drinks, souvenirs etc.