The ornate flower trees along the side of the road, ample space for pedestrians, the minarets of all the finely decorated high-rise mosques and the large pictures of the Sultan on the billboards will tell you that it is Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. Unlike neighboring Malaysia, Brunei has no skyscrapers, noisy city squares or the busiest highways. However, this country has a peaceful city, a touch of nature and the open air of the beach.
The port of Seri Begawan, built on the shores of the South China Sea, is one of the safest and safest cities in the world. The whole city is decorated with flowers. Everything in this city goes smoothly. Regular living seems to have become a daily habit of the people here. Although Brunei is a small country, its international image is not small at all. The country has abundant natural resources, important ports and some world famous installations. All in all, the country's capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, is one of the most beautiful, important, peaceful and historic cities in the world.
History
It is thought that human settlement in the region began in the sixth to seventh centuries. Human settlement was started here as a Malay trade center and fish market. Human settlements along the Brunei River were discovered in the eighth century. Similarly, the existence of human settlement is also known in Camp Ayre. Kampong Ayr is currently located next to the Brunei Museum in the port Seri Begawan.
During the Brunei Empire in the 15th century, the entire southern region, including the Philippine capital Manila, was under the control of the Sultanate of Borneo. It was the third administrative region of the Sultanate, along with the water system near the city. The arrival of the British, Danish and Spanish in the eighteenth century weakened the rule of the Sultanate. At that time the population also decreased considerably. At that time the total population of the Borneo Sultanate was only around 20,000.
Brunei was a British protectorate from 1887 to 1984, before independence. In 1906, the British forced the inhabitants of the Sultanate to move to the west coast of the island and began land development work in the area. Because, just a few years ago, in 1899, the British first discovered an oil well at Ayr Bekunchi near Kampung Kasat in the port of Seri Begawan. But sadly, the British did a lot of research at that time, but after digging a 850 feet deep well, the oil did not exist. Later, in 1924, drilling began in the Sierra and Belait districts to explore for oil.
Sultan Muhammad II Jamalul Alam, inspired by the British, built a palace on the West Bank in 1909. In the same year, due to the increase in trade, the Chinese arrived at the port of Seri Begawan. A mosque and several government buildings were built on the West Bank in 1920. The same year, the new settlement was declared an urban area and made the capital of Brunei. From then on, the port Seri Begawan began to become commercially and politically important.
During World War II, in 1941, the Japanese occupied the entire island of Borneo, including the port of Seri Begawan. Then in 1945 the city was recaptured by the Allies. But in these years of war, the whole city was reduced to rubble. Every house and installation was almost destroyed by the bombing. From late 1945, the British began rebuilding Borneo by re-enacting laws and opening schools.
In 1950, Omar Ali Saifuddin III seized the throne of the Brunei Empire. In just a few years of his accession to the throne, he increased the trade tax with the British from 10% to 30%. In 1953, a five-year development plan of 100 million Malay dollars was implemented, of which 80% was spent on infrastructural development and the rest on social projects. Through this project, the port Seri Begawan began to develop in the realm of modernity after the Second World War.
Brunei's commercialization increased due to the massive expansion of the oil and gas industry. Due to which the population of the city is also increasing rapidly. Due to the increase in population and commercial importance, there was a need to increase the size of the city. During this time many new buildings and factories were being built in the city. Besides, in the 1970s and 80s, the Central Trade District underwent extensive development. On August 1, 2007, Sultan Hassan al-Balkia agreed to increase the size of the town from 12.87 square kilometers to 100.36 square kilometers.
Naming
The word 'Bandar Seri Begawan' comes from standard Malay, which means 'Seri Begawan Nagar'. The word 'Seri Begawan' comes again from the Sanskrit word 'Sri Bhagwan' which means the miraculous aura of God. When the Sultan of Brunei, Omar Ali Saifuddin III, handed over the throne to his son in 1987, Seri Begawan took the royal title. At that time the name of the city was Port Brunei or Brunei Town. The city was renamed in 1970 to commemorate the former Sultan's contribution to Brunei's development, especially in the modernization of Brunei in the 20th century. That is, the current Sultan of Brunei, Hassan al-Balkia, named the city in memory of his father, Bandar Seri Begawan.
The flower-decorated city is governed by the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board under the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Division of the Ministry of Interior of Brunei. Interestingly, when this board was formed in 1921, it was a cleaning board. Whose main responsibility is to keep the city clean and tidy. At present, in addition to the administrative work of this board, the main responsibility is to keep the city clean and beautiful. This is why this city is so beautiful. There is a touch of beauty in everything from roads, markets, ports, mosques or educational institutions to government offices-courts, parks, resorts. This is the reason why this beautiful city is becoming a dream destination for tourists day by day.
This small town has some facilities that will attract tourists from all over the world. There is a mystery and magic in the religious institutions, the shady government offices and courts, the resorts for leisure time and the old palaces built by the sea. There are almost all kinds of entertainment facilities to cater to the tourists. However, there are some limitations due to the existence of Sharia law. For example, no alcoholic beverages are available here. Any kind of intoxicants or drugs and pork is strictly prohibited. However, the travel thirst does not stop. Alcoholic beverages can be easily transported from neighboring Malaysia.
Istana Nurul Iman
Located on the banks of the Brunei River, this palace is the residence of the current Sultan of Brunei, Hassan al-Balkia. In addition to this, another feature of this palace is that it is the largest residential building in the world. It is the largest residential residence in the world by the standards of the Guinness Book of Records. The famous palace has only 1788 common rooms. There are only 256 bathrooms. In the meantime, it is possible to entertain more than five thousand guests at the same time in the dining hall. The palace mosque has a prayer facility for about one and a half thousand people. In addition to the air-conditioned stables for the Sultan of Brunei's 200 polo cheeses, the palace has a 110-car garage. There are also five swimming pools inside the palace. The total floor area of this royal palace is 2,152,782 square feet.
Located a few kilometers southwest of the capital port Seri Begawan, the palace is the epicenter of royal hospitality and state festivities. Built in 1994, the then-palace cost 1.5 billion. Inlaid with Malay and Islamic art, the palace has 17 floors with an underground floor.
The name of the palace 'Istana Nurul Iman' comes from the combination of the Malay word 'Istana' and the Arabic word 'Nur-ol Iman'. The Arabic word 'Nur-ol Iman' means 'light of faith'. The palace was designed by Leonardo V. Loxin, a famous Philippine architectural engineer. Brunei's Islamic style and Malay influence can be seen in his designs on the golden dome of the palace. Designer Khuan Chu was engaged in the interior design of the palace. This designer is famous for his 'Burj Al Arab' design in Dubai.
The Sultan of Brunei entertains his official guests in this palace. The Brunei government also uses the palace to carry out state functions. It is to be noted that the Istana Nurul Iman Palace is the workplace of the Prime Minister of Brunei and from here the government of Brunei is governed. Ordinary people, however, do not have access to this palace.
However, the palace was opened to the public on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha, the Muslim religious festivals. The palace is open to the public for three days on the occasion of Eid. At that time more than 110,000 visitors entered here and a royal meal was arranged for all. Not only that, they are also specially entertained by the royal family. Eid salami is also given to young children in green packets on the occasion of Eid. Apart from Eid, the palace is open for the last ten days of Ramadan, the Tahajjud prayers and the Tarabi prayers.
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque
It is a royal mosque located in Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. One of the most beautiful mosques in Asia Pacific. Every year thousands of visitors flock to the port of Seri Begawan, attracted by the beauty of this mosque. This mosque floating on the water is most captivating in the colorful light of the night.
The people of Brunei consider it one of the most beautiful places in their country. The mosque is named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei, Omar Ali Saifuddin. The construction of this unique specimen of modern Islamic architecture was completed in 1958. The mosque was designed by the famous Italian architect Cavalier Rudolf Noli.
The magnificently decorated golden dome mosque now represents the port Seri Begawan in the court of the world. Beyond the identity of a religious place of worship, this mosque has become a unique example of architecture. The height of the highest minaret of the mosque is 52 feet. This minaret is completely covered with gold. The other small domes on the side are also covered with gold.
Each of the main prayer rooms, with a capacity of 3,000, is made entirely of Italian white marble. This famous mosque is built on the bank of an artificial lake in the village of 'Kampong Iyer'. On the other hand, a beautiful barge has been made as the entrance to the mosque from the lake. The whole mosque complex is surrounded by beautiful gardens and fountains. If a visitor from a distance does not notice the dome of the mosque, then the mosque can be considered as a royal palace! The construction cost of this unique style of mosque is 10 million US dollars, which is 85 crore rupees as a Bangladeshi.
There are also many beautiful mosques in Brunei. Jame Asr 'Hasanil Balkia Mosque is one of them. It is the largest mosque in Brunei. It was built to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sultan's accession to the throne. Locally it is known as Kiarang Mosque. Besides, 'Ash Shalihin Mosque' has been built in the mosque of Saudi Arabia in the style of Nawab. It is located next to the Prime Minister's Office at Port Seri Begawan.
Kampong Ayr
You must have heard the name of Kampong Ayr. Yes, it is the largest floating village in the world located in Port Seri Begawan. The 'Kampong Ayr' or 'Water Village' is located within 8 km of the Brunei River. The whole village is floating on the poles. Visiting the village, Antonio Pigafetta, a famous sailor from Florence, named it 'Venice of the East' or 'Venice of the East'. The village is connected to the suburbs of Bandar Seri Begawan. There are about two thousand houses in this village, where about 30 thousand people live. This floating village is located just east of the city’s central trade district. Most of the inhabitants are fishermen.
There are some government buildings and offices here. There are also schools, hospitals, restaurants, shops, mosques and petrol stations. It has all the conveniences of modern civilization. Interestingly, there are water buses or water taxis for water travel. This taxi can be floated to the door of any house. The idea is that people have been living here for about 1000 years.
Brunei Museum
This famous museum is the National Museum of Brunei. The museum displays Islamic handicrafts, archeology and anthropology from the historical period of the sixteenth century. Located in Kata Batu, near Port Seri Begawan, this museum is the largest museum in Brunei.
This magnificent museum is located on a hill, from where the natural beauty of the Brunei River can be seen with the naked eye. Although the museum was established in 1965, its present building was constructed in 1972. Like other establishments in Brunei, it is surrounded by floral, clean and shady environments. The Brunei Museum is becoming more and more attractive to tourists day by day.
Istana Darussalam
It is a historic palace in Brunei. This magnificent palace on the banks of the river Brunei was the residence of Omar Ali Saifuddin III. The palace was founded by the current Sultan of Brunei, Hassan al-Balkia. It is one of the oldest palaces in Brunei. The word 'Istana' means 'palace' and the full name of Brunei is 'Brunei Darussalam'. Combining these two words, the palace was named Istana Darussalam. Thousands of tourists flock to the port of Seri Begawan every year to enjoy the beauty of this palace, which is located in a beautiful and soothing environment.
Apart from all these establishments, there are innumerable hotels, motels, resorts, prasads and innumerable royal establishments in Bandar Seri Begawan. Silent, quiet, secluded this city has become the center of world tourism day by day. Every year innumerable tourists from different countries of the world flock to Brunei to get a touch of the beauty of Seri Begawan port. Return to your home country with a wonderful experience of traveling in this city built with a mixture of modernity and natural beauty.
If you want you can also come to enjoy the beauty of the port Seri Begawan.
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