MASJID JAMEK

Near Dataran Merdeka are two important mosques, the Masjid Negara (National Mosque) and the Masjid Jamek (Jamek Mosque), which stand as prominent symbols of the country's religious history. As is custom for Muslims, a call to prayer occurs five times a day, and many Malays break their work day at each calling. Emanating from the mosques at these times is what is known as the "azan," a sing-songy chant -- sung by the "muezzin" -- that echoes over the area. Friday prayers, held in the afternoon, are the cause of many a traffic jam in KL as worshippers rush to the nearest mosque.

Masjid Jamek, which dates back to 1909, is KL's oldest mosque. Located in Jalan Tun Perak, this Moorish mosque - inspired by the Indian Muslim style of architecture - rests on the confluence of the Klang and Gombak Rivers, the birth-place of Kuala Lumpur. This is the very spot where the first settlers of Kuala Lumpur in search of tin built their shacks. The red-bricked structure of Masjid Jamek features attractive gold onion-shaped domes, numerous arched colonnades, and shiny marble floors designed by A.B.Hubback.

Mosques welcome visitors to peruse the grounds as long as they wear the appropriate garments, which are provided at the entrances. (Both men and women must cover any "bare" body parts, such as arms and legs, and women are asked to cover their head.) Unlike the Western church, where the interior is clogged with pews, mosques offer an airy floor space on which to kneel, and men and women worship in separate compartments. Although prayer times provide a unique opportunity to observe Islamic worshippers, and listen to the azan, you will not be allowed into the premises of any mosque at these times unless you are a Muslim.