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Minaret: Masjid Kepitan Keling

Keywords : Masjid, Mughal-Moorish style, Masjid Kepitan Keling, Towers

Site common nameMasjid Kepitan Keling
Type of artworkSculpture
Village-
Province/CityGeorge Town
StatePenang
CountryMalaysia
Geographic Coordinates
Decimal degree		Lat : 5.416944
Long : 100.036944

History of productionMasjid Kepitan Keling is the oldest mosque in George Town. The mosque was built by Kepitan Keling, the South Indian leader who settled down here in 1801. However, the current mosque and the minaret is the result of the expansion in the 20th century under the British colonial era.
ArtMasjid Kepitan Keling got the main inspiration from Mughal art of India. There is a possibility that the mosque’s architect try to make the mosque look Indian as much as possible to response with the profile of the first founder who came from India. Thus, the mosque’s minaret shows the influence from Mughal art for example the octagonal shape with terraces. On top is Chhatri, the octagonal pavilion with 8 pillars that support small dome.
PeriodHistorical Period
Art periodBritish Colonization Period
Age19th – 20th century
ReligionIslam

Type of LicenseAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
RightsPrincess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation2015-02-00
Record creatorChedha Tingsanchali