What would come up to your mind when I say the words, Saudi Arabia? Most of you might say Makkah or Madinah. How if I say the words Vatican? I am sure that St. Peter’s Basilica would come first in your mind. Those two places are the main icons of a country. The religious place can attract so many people to visit it. The reason why religious tourist spots are so popular is because that kind of places are related to our religion and life. People believe that visiting a holy tourist spot could give them a luck and peacefulness.
      In Indonesia, we can find a lot of places that are categorized as a religious tourist spot. Borobudur temple is one of the examples. The biggest temple in Indonesia is a place that attracts many people to visit. It is a place where Buddhists are doing a religion activity and celebration.
As a city which has so many tourist spots, Malang also has a religious tourist spot which is Tiban mosque. The place is located in the area of Pondok Pesantren Biharu Bahri’asali Fadlaailir Rahmah, Turen, Kabupaten Malang. It is not difficult to reach it, only 60-90 minutes from Malang city. The access to the site is reachable. However, you should open your Google Maps if you want to go there because not everyone knows the location of Tiban mosque and the publication of the mosque is lacking. For additional information, you don’t have to spend money to visit it. Just prepare around 3,000-5,000 for the parking charge.
The name of Tiban Mosque itself comes from Javanese term ‘Tiban’ which means ‘suddenly’. There are a controversy and rumor behind the building process of this the mosque. People who live around the mosque didn’t realize the building process of a mosque. Some of them have a perception that the building of the mosque was constructed by an evil spirit. But the rumors spread in the society cannot be proven until now.Despite the controversy behind it, I might say that Tiban mosque is one of the most amazing buildings I ever visited. The architectural concept of the building comes from the combination of Arabic, Chinese and Javanese makes the building looks great. From the first until the tenth floor there are so many facilities that can make us amazed. There is an aquarium, a pool, gift shops and a garden inside the building. The material of interiors has a good quality. Moreover, the wall of the building was carved by Arabic calligraphy and it makes the place luxurious.
There is no professional architecture or developer behind the building process of its mosque. The head of Pondok Pesantren Biharu Bahri’asali Fadlaailir Rahmah, K.H. Achmad Bahru Mafdlaludin was inspired during the process of his istoqoroh and he started to implement it into the building of Tiban mosque. It is interesting to know, that the development funds of Tiban mosque did not come from the government or politicians. It is financed independently by the Pondok Pesantren.
References
http://indocolorfull.blogspot.com/
Wikipedia
