Religious sites in East Java

Sacred Sites of Significance

East Java’s spiritual landscape reflects centuries of cultural shifts, featuring 14th-century Majapahit ruins like the red-brick Bajang Ratu gateway and the Candi Tikus ritual bathing pool. The region is home to the Al-Akbar National Mosque, Indonesia's second-largest Islamic house of worship, and the historic Sunan Ampel Mosque. Other significant sites include the Pura Luhur Poten at the base of Mount Bromo, the colonial-era Kepanjen Church, and Hong Tiek Hian, the oldest Chinese temple in Surabaya.

Sacred Sites of Significance — Map

Albertus Aditya / CC BY-SA 4.0

A

Church of the Birth of Our Lady

The Church of the Birth of Our Lady, also known as the Kepanjen Church, is a Roman Catholic church in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia.

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

B

Candi Bajang Ratu

A 14th-century red-brick gateway located in Trowulan, believed to be the entrance to a sacred building within the Majapahit capital. Its architecture features intricate carvings and a tall, stepped roof typical of the period.

Lasthib / CC BY-SA 4.0

C

Masjid Nasional Al-Akbar

Also known as the Surabaya Great Mosque, this is the second-largest mosque in Indonesia. It is distinguished by its massive blue and green domes and a 99-meter high minaret that offers views of the city.

Ravn / CC-BY-SA-3.0

D

Pura Luhur Poten

The Bromo, or Mount Bromo is an active somma volcano, a Hindu pilgrimage site, and part of the Tengger mountains, in East Java, Indonesia.

Gerard Pieter Adolfs / CC BY-SA 3.0 de

E

Ampel Mosque

Ampel Mosque is an ancient mosque located in the Ampel sub-district, district Semampir, Surabaya, East Java.

Crisco 1492 / CC BY-SA 4.0

F

Ceto Temple

Ceto is a fifteenth-century Javanese-Hindu temple that is located on the western slope of Mount Lawu on the border between Central and East…

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

G

Candi Tikus

An archaeological site in Trowulan consisting of a ritual bathing pool made of red brick. Discovered in 1914, the complex features a miniature model of the sacred Mount Mahameru at its center.

Lasthib / CC BY-SA 4.0

H

Hong Tiek Hian

Surabaya’s oldest Chinese temple, located in the northern Chinatown district. It remains an active center for worship and traditional Wayang Potehi puppet performances.

I

Masjid Jami' Universitas Darussalam Gontor

The central place of worship for the University of Darussalam Gontor in Ponorogo, serving as a spiritual hub for one of Indonesia's most prominent Islamic educational institutions.

J

Musholla

A traditional Islamic prayer room located in Jombang, providing a space for daily communal prayers and local religious gatherings.

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