Masjid Sultan Idris Shah Il

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Formally known as the Masjid Sultan Idris Shah Il, it is the most celebrated mosque landmark in Ipoh, located within the historical enclave of the city centre. It features a post-Merdeka modernist architecture which was the prevalent architectural approach after Malaya gained its independence from the British colonial rule. The mosque was constructed in 1967, and its foundation was laid by the then Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein Al-Haj. The mosque was completed the following year. Ten years later, the mosque was officiated by the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Idris Iskandar al- Mutawakkil Alallahi Shah II in conjunction with his birthday and was named in honour of him. Situated in the city of Ipoh, it neighbours many institutional and commercial buildings, including the city hall, railway station, police headquarters, food court and public car park. The idea to build the state mosque was proposed by the first Menteri Besar of Perak, Dato’ Panglima Bukit Gantang Abdul Wahab, in 1951. At that time, only a few mosques could be found in Ipoh.
The double-storeyed structure is visibly dominated by a series of 66 oval-pointed dome, with a central pointed dome of a similar shape. Each dome sits on an exposed cross drum beam, with a tapered needle pinnacle. The domes are distributed over the upper tier, where the clerestory windows are located. The mosque now houses the main prayer hall, female prayer section, conference room, office
room, library, storeroom, with ablution and toilet facilities. On first impression, the overall facade design resembles the famous facade design of the Parliament House building in Kuala Lumpur. The building envelope is clad with a modernist design in a curve and pointed form, influenced by the tropical organic form fused together with an Islamic arabesque pattern. Made of concrete mould, the pattern is repeated and covers the whole external building facade. On the east side, a square base minaret is designed and built with an elevated balcony with a dome at top.
Initially designed as an open and airy mosque, the wall is fringed with terrazzo geometrical panels, thus providing natural ventilation into the interior. However, during the major renovation in 1995, mechanical ventilation was also installed, and the prayer hall was enclosed with high glass windows. The major renovation work has transformed the interior of the main prayer hall, with elaborate plasterwork, and stained-glass clerestory windows seen across the space. Finished with green colour coating, the Arabian influenced carvings are a stark contrast to its modernist architecture. The front qibla wall is celebrated with intricate blind arched mihrab niche marked by a lancet arch. On its right, a minbar platform is carved out of timber material, crested with a points dome. The timber minbar is a later addition to reflect a Malay traditional interior to the mosque (Aziz, A. A., 2016).