The sacrality of Menara Kudus Mosque in manifesting sustainability of Kauman's built environment

Abstract

Kudus city is an example of a place where it has undergone various eras before this city was officially established in 1549. The Menara Kudus Mosque is arguably the most iconic heritage building in this city. The cultures of its predecessors are reflected in the design of Menara Kudus Mosque, as seen in the minaret, which is used elements that similar to pre-Islamic sacred buildings. The activities that occurred in Menara Kudus Mosque and its environment already happened in centuries and still existed until now, mostly revolve around religious activities despite the changing nature of the Kudus community. This paper, through literature research, will try to find the correlation between the design and the community of sacred space in Menara Kudus Mosque and its surroundings, focusing on how such design and activities can be sustained in many centuries, until now.