Sitting regally in hues of royal yellow and green, Masjid Raya Sultan Riau (Sultan of Riau’s Grand Mosque) is probably the first thing that catches your eye as you approach the Pulau Penyengat on the pompong (water taxi) from Tanjung Pinang. The royal mosque was constructed on higher grounds and no other buildings around it are allowed to surpass its height. An interesting story recounts the bonding agent used for the construction of the mosque to be egg whites received as gifts during the Sultan’s wedding.
Known as the “Jewel of the Island”, the mosque not only boast a grand facade but also possesses many unique features. Admire the sublime 150-year-old handwritten Quran that lies within the temple’s sacred grounds. There are 13 domes and four minarets in the mosque, totaling to 17; the number of raka’ats (sections of prayer) a Muslim is to complete during the praying rituals done five times a day.