Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque named after Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzadin Waddaulah the 29th Sultan of Brunei Darussalam,built in 1988 and officially launched in 1994 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of His Majesty the Sultan's reign. This is the largest and the most magnificent mosque in Brunei Darussalam. This mosque has a distinct edge over the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the heart of Capital Bandar Seri Begawan both in style and grandeur.The four main minarets and two golden domes of the structure are a fantastic sight when illuminated in the evening.It is locally known as the Kiarong mosque.
Architecture and Design
Main hall
The mosque has been noted as an architectural masterpiece. It took its form from Turkish mosques, with its four tall minarets overlooking the grand, golden domes. Serene gardens decorate the landscape, with fountains and pools with many species of flowers and plants.
The interiors are influenced by middle east, just as the plan of the mosque is, but mixed with local accents and modern aesthetic. The ablution halls are decorated with white and blue tiles that reminds of the famous Fez tiles. In the center of the hall is a fountain, and underneath it there is spouts for ritual cleansing, controlled mechanically that not require the users to turn any faucets, but rather just stretch their hands out below the spouts to automatically flow out water.
In the center hall, there are these irregular columns, shaped like conical spirals, raising to support the roof of which a dome of stained glasses lies. The stairs leading up to the main prayer hall swirls around the central fountains with its many colourful lights, accentuated by the colours of the stained glass dome that shines down.
On the side is a colonnaded hall of black marble pillars raising high supporting a white and gold ceiling another modern feature is presented here, where an escalator is available. This is usually the place where the Royal Family enters the mosque.
The main hall itself is a awe-inspiring and serene. Under a great dome decorated with Quranic inscriptions in gold on a white background, it is supported with great pillars of white marble that surronds the circumference of the hall. The floors is decked out with custom made prayer mats with the image of the mosque imprinted on it. The Mihrab is decorated with black marble and accentuated with gold mosaics. The whole Qibla wall is decorated with golden mosaics with flower and vegetal motifs and Quranic inscriptions. The Minbar (Pulpit of which from sermons aredelivered) have a golden dome above it, mirroring the golden dome above the roofs. As like the Qibla wall, it is also decorated with golden mosaics.
The interiors are influenced by middle east, just as the plan of the mosque is, but mixed with local accents and modern aesthetic. The ablution halls are decorated with white and blue tiles that reminds of the famous Fez tiles. In the center of the hall is a fountain, and underneath it there is spouts for ritual cleansing, controlled mechanically that not require the users to turn any faucets, but rather just stretch their hands out below the spouts to automatically flow out water.
In the center hall, there are these irregular columns, shaped like conical spirals, raising to support the roof of which a dome of stained glasses lies. The stairs leading up to the main prayer hall swirls around the central fountains with its many colourful lights, accentuated by the colours of the stained glass dome that shines down.
On the side is a colonnaded hall of black marble pillars raising high supporting a white and gold ceiling another modern feature is presented here, where an escalator is available. This is usually the place where the Royal Family enters the mosque.
The main hall itself is a awe-inspiring and serene. Under a great dome decorated with Quranic inscriptions in gold on a white background, it is supported with great pillars of white marble that surronds the circumference of the hall. The floors is decked out with custom made prayer mats with the image of the mosque imprinted on it. The Mihrab is decorated with black marble and accentuated with gold mosaics. The whole Qibla wall is decorated with golden mosaics with flower and vegetal motifs and Quranic inscriptions. The Minbar (Pulpit of which from sermons aredelivered) have a golden dome above it, mirroring the golden dome above the roofs. As like the Qibla wall, it is also decorated with golden mosaics.