Slamet Supriyadi, Endang Widiyastuti, Nadia Sigi Prameswari, Wirania Swasty
The Great Mosque of Demak, Indonesia, is the oldest on Java Island, built in 1477 AD and is used as a place of prayer, religious center, and socio-cultural educational facility. This study examines the pragmatic and semantic power of the Great Mosque of Demak. It was conducted using a qualitative approach in 2023, with a case study of the Great Mosque. Data were gathered through observations and interviews with tourists, mosque managers, traders, and local community members. The findings suggest that the Great Mosque of Demak's construction prioritizes functional components over aesthetics, as seen in the mosque's places for prayer, education, tourism, business, and socio-cultural activities. The Great Mosque of Demak has also been designed by emphasizing semantic aspects, as evidenced by the usage of ornaments from three civilizations at once, Islam, Hinduism, and Java. They occur in both the interior and the exterior of the mosque. Acculturation at the Great Mosque of Demak is not only seen in building designs that use a variety of architectural designs, namely Islamic, Javanese, Hindu, and modern, but also contributes to developing socio-cultural aspects and improving the local community's economy through conserving traditions, ornamentation, and tourism. As a predecessor to the development of Islam in Java, the Great Mosque of Demak can change from time to time to become a historical, cultural, and religious building, a symbol of glory and tolerance among the religious communities. © Scopus Indexed Since 2016
Department of Art Education, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia; Visual Art Department, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia; Visual Communication Design Department, School of Creative Industries, Telkom University, Indonesia
