Bandar Seri Begawan
(2002 pop. 75,000). Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei Darussalam, is situated five kilometers upstream from the estuary of the Brunei River. Its existence as a settlement on stilts in reference to the famed present-day Kampong Ayer ("water village") dates back to the sixth century BCE, according to Chinese records. Portuguese descriptions of it during the sixteenth century attested to the glory and prosperity of the ancient empire of Brunei.
Formerly referred to as Brunei Town, Bandar Seri Begawan was named in honor of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III (1914–1986), who abdicated in October 1967 and assumed the title of Seri Begawan Sultan. Perched on the northeastern corner of Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan is the major urban center of the kingdom, where one-third of the total population of Brunei (276,300 as of 1993) resides. Bandar Seri Begawan functions as the seat of government as well as a commercial center and river port. It is connected by road with major towns such as Seria and Kuala Belait and has an international airport.
During the Japanese occupation (1941–1945), much of the town was destroyed by Allied bombings before the Australian reoccupation. Postwar reconstruction brought about the emergence of new buildings that are juxtaposed with a few remnants of the past.
The landmarks in and around Bandar Seri Begawan include the renowned Kampong Ayer. This floating confederation of more than forty villages, each with its own headman, demonstrates the close affinity ofthe local inhabitants to the river and the sea. Rising majestically and overlooking Kampong Ayer is the glittering golden dome and towering minaret of the Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, opened in 1958 during the reign of and as a tribute to Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III, who was regarded as the "father of modern Brunei." Adjoining the mosque is a reconstruction of a sixteenth-century royal Brunei barge that "floats" in the lagoon, which almost encircles the entire mosque complex. On the outskirts of Bandar Seri Begawan, sprawling one-third of a mile long on a hillock with a view of the Brunei River, is the Istana Nurul Iman ("palace of the light of faith"). Completed in 1984, this magnificent palace combines Western engineering and Eastern architectural designs. With 1,788 rooms, twelve enormous chandeliers, and two golden domes, it is reputedly the world's largest residential palace.
An aerial view of Begawan and the Brunei River. (MICHAEL S. YAMASHITA/CORBIS)Further Reading
Meyers, Sharon, Wendy Moore, and Joseph R. Yogerst. (1993) The Golden Legacy: Brunei Darussalam. Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei: Syabas.
Saunders, Graham. (1994) A History of Brunei. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Oxford University Press.
This is the complete article, containing 424 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page).
