To those unfamiliar with Malaysia, KL may be the heart of business and activity, but Putrajaya is the administrative capital of our country.

This is where all the shiny, new government buildings are at. The whole township is built with state of the art designs and facilities in mind, so it gives off a futuristic feel compared to the older, grungier elements of downtown KL. The streets are well kept and clean, the trees lining the avenues are well-maintained and trimmed neatly, and there is barely any rubbish on the road. A far cry from KL’s dirty alleyways, graffiti-scribbled walls and seedy hotels.

So what is there to do in Putrajaya? Nothing much in terms of entertainment, as most of the buildings are government offices. What they do have is a beautiful pink mosque called Putra Mosque, just next to the Prime Minister’s Office.

I’ve never been inside a mosque, and I just suddenly thought of visiting one (I am random like that), so I hopped into my car and went.

Situated next to the Putrajaya Lake, Putra Mosque’s unique pink shade catches the sunset really well. Although not huge, it’s scenic and pretty.

Just next to it is the Prime Minister’s Office. I use to call those domes as onion bulbs when i was little. lol

And a square housing all the flags from the 14 different states in Malaysia, with our national flag, the Jalur Gemilang in the middle.

The mosque exterior. It has a capacity of 15,000 and was finished in 1999. Still looks shiny new. The arch has Quranic verses on top.

Visitors must be dressed decently to go in. Non-Muslim women are required to wear a robe. A pink one. The lady at the robe collection counter gave me this wtf look when I said I was visiting alone. I guess not many people go on random trips to see mosques on their own? lol.

The impressive looking front of the mosque.

Shoes must be removed before entering the prayer hall.

Prayer area. It is huge, held up by 12 giant pillars and can accommodate up to 10,000 people. There is also an auditorium, lecture rooms, a dining hall and library.

Because Islamic architecture does not feature humans or animals, the designs are mostly geometrical and calligraphic. There is something calming about the repeated shapes on the wall – they reminded me of blooming flower petals.

There was a separate area for men and women to pray. Non-Muslims are only allowed to watch from a cordoned off section in the front.

I think this is one of the Azan towers, where the loudspeakers sing the Azan (evening prayers).

View from the side of the mosque, next to the Putrajaya lake. People go boating and play water sports here.

I had an unpleasant experience with a lady here. Wandering around looking for a toilet, I was yelled at by a woman who said I was not supposed to go down to the basement (apparently it was where devotees take wuduk, or wash themselves before prayer). I apologised and said I was looking for the bathroom, but she shooed me away by saying ‘no no you can’t go to the toilet here’ (lol?)

Not that I minded because with all due respect, this is your holy place and I probably shouldn’t have wandered around, but being mean and rude to people in your house of worship just shows the strength of your character and iman, sister. I’m sure your God is just in his rewards and punishments in the afterlife. 🙂

Anyway, if you’re a tourist, Putrajaya is definitely worth a visit, just to look at the buildings here which all have their unique architectures. Apart from the mosque, do look out for the two bridges, which span across the lake in two different locations in the city; as well as the administrative buildings with their modern architecture.

Getting Here 

Take the KLIA Transit train from KL Sentral to Putrajaya. From the station, take a taxi or buses:

• Parkmay (Cityliner No. 868) – 20mins
• No. 536B – 3 hours (takes long time coz it services a far route)
• Kelang-Banting Bus (No.131) – 2 hours.
• Omnibus (No. 186) from Kajang Terminal Bus, UNITEN- Putrajaya and Cyberjaya runs every 1 – 2 hours.
• Putrajaya Internal Nadi Putra

Putra Mosque

Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM),

Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan, 62502 Persekutuan,

Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya, Malaysia

 

Opening hours for non-Muslims (outside prayer times) 

9am-12.30pm, 2-4pm, & 5.30-6pm

Sat-Thu, 3-4pm & 5.30-6pm Fri