Floating Mosque of Palu

The Floating Mosque of Palu was inaugurated in 2011 in the area of 121 square meters, and known for directly facing Palu Bay on Talise beach. The mosque was a tourist destination and icon of the city of Palu.^[1] The mosque was dedicated to the 17th-century Muslim scholar from West Sumatra, Datuk Karama, who greatly contributed to the spread of Islam in the Palu region.^[2]

During the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake, the mosque was struck by multiple tsunamis which collapsed the pillars that supported the mosque floating on the bay. As such, the mosque has partially submerged in the ocean. However, the building remained intact. Reportedly, the wave entered through the back door and penetrated the front door, and the prayer space was inundated by the water. The windows also lost their glass. Adhan loudspeakers still functioned without any defects.^[1]

After the tsunami, the people of Palu, especially the traditionalist Muslims who believe in Islamic mysticism, asserted that the mosque survived because of the divine power of the saints who guarded the mosque. The floating mosque and the mosque of Alkhairaat traditionalist Islamic organization were few of the only surviving mosques after the tsunami.^[2]

As of April 2021, the mosque is still partially submerged underwater.^[3]

• Baiturrahim Mosque, another mosque that survived a tsunami