With its soaring minarets and
golden dome, the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is an
oasis of tranquility within the bustle of downtown
Bandar. Completed in 1958, it is built of Italian
marble, gold mosaic and English stained glass, but with
craftsmanship that reflects classical Islamic
architecture.
Beside the mosque and anchored in a lagoon is a replica
of a 16th-century mahligai, or royal barge, where
religious ceremonies such as Holy Quran readings were
staged during the 1960s and early 1970s.
Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien is regarded as the
architect of modern Brunei. It was he who steered the
nation safety through the turbulent years following
WWII, establishing the foundation for the nation's
independence and sovereignty.
Some pictures of the Omar Ali Saifuddien mosque, one of
the most impressive modern mosques in the east.
Originally built in 1958 the mosque is located close to
the Brunei river in its own artificial lagoon. In the
lagoon there is a replica of a 16th century royal barge. |