5/5 Mohamed b. 3 years ago on Google
is
an Islamic mosque in Bandar
Seri
Begawan,
the capital of Brunei.
It
is
often
considered
as
one
of
the
most
beautiful
mosques
in
the Asia
Pacific.
It
is
a
place
of
worship
for
the
Muslim
community,
a
major
historical
site,
and
a
famous
tourist
attraction
of Brunei.
It
is
named
after Omar
Ali
Saifuddien
III,
the 28th
Sultan
of
Brunei,
who
initiated
its
construction.
The
mosque
serves
as
a
symbol
of
the
Islamic
faith
in Brunei.
The
building
was
completed
in
1958
and
is
an
example
of
modern Islamic
architecture.
The
mosque
unites Mughal
architecture and
Malay
styles.
Although
attributed
to Cav.
Rodolfo
Nolli,
a
Singapore
based
sculptor
and
decorative
stonework
contractor, it
appears
that
it
was
first
envisaged
by His
Majesty in
1952,
with
its
design
was
developed
by
Kuala
Lumpur
based
architectural
firm
Booty
and
Edwards, with
Nolli
acting
as
a
contractor
for
its
exterior
and
interior
decorative
stonework.
Built
in
an
artificial lagoon on
the
banks
of
the Brunei
River at Kampong
Ayer—the
"village
in
the
water"—the
mosque
has marble minarets and
golden domes,
a courtyard and
is
surrounded
by
a
large
number
of trees and floral
gardens.
A bridge reaches
across
the
lagoon
to Kampong
Ayer in
the
middle
of
the
river.
Another
marble
bridge
leads
to
a
structure
in
the
lagoon
meant
as
a
replica
of
a
16th-century Sultan
Bolkiah Mahligai
Barge.
The
barge
itself
was
completed
in
1967
to
commemorate
the
1,400th
anniversary
of
Nuzul
Al-Quran
(coming
down
of
the Quran)
and
was
used
to
stage
the
Quran
reading
competitions.
The
mosque's
most
recognizable
feature,
the
main
dome,
is
covered
in
pure gold.
The
mosque
stands
52 m
(171 ft)
high.
The
main minaret is
its
tallest
feature.
In
a
unique
way,
it
mixes Renaissance and
Italian
architectural
styles.
The minaret has
an elevator to
the
top,
where
a
visitor
can
enjoy
a panoramic view
of
the
city.
The
interior
of
the
mosque
is
for prayer only,
with
features
such
as stained
glass windows, arches, semi-domes and marble columns.
Nearly
all
the
material
used
for
the
building
were
imported
from
abroad:
the marble from Italy,
the granite from Shanghai,
the
crystal chandeliers from England,
and
the carpets from Saudi
Arabia.
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