Bandar Seri Begawan
|
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque |
Bandar Seri Begawan, estimated population 46,229 (
1991), is the
capital and the royal town of the Sultanate of
Brunei. The city is the home of producers of
furniture,
textiles,
handicrafts, and
timber. It is the site of the
Royal Ceremonial Hall or
Lapau,
Royal Regalia Building, the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, the Malay Technology Museum, and the
Brunei History Center. Bandar Seri Begawan is located at 4°55' North, 114°55' East (4.91667, 114.91667).
The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, built in 1958, features a giant golden dome and a luxurious interior of Italian marble walls, carpeting and an elevator. It also has opulent underground tunnels, which are used by the sultan on private journeys through the town.
This city is also unique in that it also incorporates a nearby
water village, Kampung Ayer, which has houses on stilts and stretches out into the sea for about 500 metres. The Malay Technology Museum contains exhibits about water village architecture.
The first part of its name,
Bandar, comes from
Persian بندر and means "port" or "haven" (
bandar means "town" in Malay). The second part of its name
Seri Begawan has its origin in the words
Sri Bhagwan of
Sanskrit, and means
Blessed One. The city was formerly known as
Brunei Town, but it changed its name on
October 3,
1970.
Prominent schools in Bandar Seri Begawan include
St. Andrew's School, International School Brunei (ISB), and
Jerudong International School (JIS).
*
Official website*
Aerial view of Bandar Seri Begawan from the Brunei Eye
