National Mosque of Malaysia (Masjid Negara)

Masjid Negara, the National Mosque of Malaysia, is one of the most important buildings of the country's early independence years. Work began on 27 February 1963 and the mosque was declared open on 27 August 1965 by the third Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Syed Putra of Perlis. It was designed by a three-person team from the Public Works Department, led by Baharuddin Abu Kassim with Ikmal Hisham Albakri and the British architect Howard Ashley, and it set out to create a modern Malaysian expression of Islamic architecture rather than copy Middle Eastern models.

The result is a striking piece of tropical modernism. The main roof is a concrete 16-pointed star whose folded form recalls an open umbrella, while the 73-metre minaret is topped by a cap that looks like a folded umbrella. The roof was originally pink and was clad in the present green and blue tiles during renovations in 1987. The prayer hall can hold up to 15,000 people. Nearby is the Makam Pahlawan, the Heroes' Mausoleum, a burial ground for several Malaysian Muslim leaders, roofed with a seven-pointed concrete star.

Non-Muslim visitors are generally welcome outside prayer times, but this is a working mosque and visiting hours are restricted around the daily prayers and on Friday, the main congregational day. Check the times at the entrance or with your hotel before you go. Dress modestly: men and women should cover arms and legs, women should cover their hair, and shoes are removed before entering. Speak quietly, avoid walking in front of people at prayer and ask before photographing anyone.

A visit of about 45 minutes to an hour is enough for most people, and the clean modernist lines make it rewarding for photographers and anyone interested in architecture. Mornings tend to be quieter and cooler than the afternoon.

The mosque stands on Jalan Perdana, within walking distance of the old Kuala Lumpur railway station, which is served by KTM Komuter and ETS trains, and an underground passage leads towards the mosque from Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin. The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia is a short walk away, and the Perdana Botanical Garden and its other attractions lie just beyond, so the mosque fits naturally into a day exploring this green part of the city.