Al-Quran Al-Akbar is one of Palembang's stranger, more memorable attractions: a thirty-volume Quran carved in full into giant wooden panels, displayed in a purpose-built pesantren (Islamic school) in the southern part of the city. Each panel measures roughly 1.7 by 1.4 metres, and the entire work fills four floors.
The carvings, in red, gold, and dark wood, were begun in 2002 by local craftsman Sofwatillah Mohzaib and completed in 2012. Non-Muslim visitors are welcome; remove your shoes and dress modestly. It is the only project of its kind in the world. A small fee supports the pesantren. Allow an hour and a half.