BEAUTIFUL MOSQUES OF THE WORLD:
SULTAN OMAR ALI SAIFUDDIEN MOSQUE:
The mosque unites Mughal Architecture and Italian styles. The plans were done by Booty and Edwards Chartered Architects according to designs by the Italian architect Cavaliere Rudolfo Nolli, who had already for decades been working at the Gulf of Siam.
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 and can be seen from virtually anywhere in Bandar Seri Begawan. The main Minaret is the mosque's tallest feature. In a unique way it mixes Renaissance and Italian Architectural style. 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 from Saudi Arabia.
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