Omar Ali Saifuddien Musjid
Omar Ali Saifuddien Musjid
- The Omar Ali Saifuddien Musjid, a symbol of Brunei’s Islamic faith, is the country’s first and oldest national Musjid.
Named after Brunei’s 28th ruler, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the Musjid sits in a man-made lagoon in the historic 1,000-year-old Kampung Ayer settlement along the Brunei River. It took engineers four years to construct this Mughal-inspired marvel, replete with lavish marble interiors, grand arches, stained glass windows and a distinctive golden dome. - When the Musjid was completed in 1958, it was considered one of the most beautiful Musjids in Southeast Asia – an honour that stands true to this day.
It was the capital’s first postwar Musjid. - Before World War II, there was only one Musjid in Brunei Town (now Bandar Seri Begawan), the Marbut Pak Tunggal Musjid. This modest timber structure with asbestos roofing was destroyed during the Japanese occupation.
- After the war, a timber prayer hall with a thatched nipah roof was built as a temporary measure. Since this space could only accommodate 500 worshippers, larger congregations often gathered in the Padang in the centre of town.
- It wasn’t until the Omar Ali Saifuddien Musjid was completed in 1958 that Bruneian Muslims had a proper place of worship in the city.
- It is estimated that between 7.7 and 9.2 million Brunei dollars were spent during the four-year construction of the Musjid.
- The Musjid’s iconic minaret, a towering 52-metre beauty, is the tallest structure in central Bandar Seri Begawan.