Gresik

Gresik is a port city in the province of Java Is in Indonesia. It would have been founded at the beginning of the 14th century by a Chinese.

About 1460, the influence of Gresik brings to the conversion of the king of Ternate (Moluques).

Close to Gresik is the mausoleum of Sunan Giri, one of the Wali Songo (“Last nine Saints”) which, according to the Javanese tradition, would have propagated the Islam in Java. According to an inscription, Sunan Giri died in 1428 of the Hindu era Saka (1506 after J. - C.). The mausoleum is in the village of Giri, to 2 km of Gresik, in top of a hill.

The tomb out of wooden of Teck is surrounded by splendid sculptures of Chinese inspiration, which lets think that Sunan Giri was Chinese. The lintel of the door of the mausoleum is decorated of a Makara , mythical creature having at the same time a small horn connecting it with the sea elephant, the teeth of the crocodile and a cut in front. The gate of entry of the mausoleum is decorated of a dragon carved in the stone.

In the west of the mausoleum of Sunan Giri is that of one of its successors, Sunan Prapen (1548- 1605). One also finds there the tombs of Panembahan Kawis Guwo (1605-1616) and Panembahan Agung (1616-1636), two other Moslem princes. The carved roof of this mausoleum gives an idea of the prosperity of this time when the trade flowered which allowed the diffusion of Islam in the archipelago indonésien.

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