Istana Nurul Iman

view from the taman damuan

Its is the residence of our beloved Sultan Brunei, which is verified by Gunniess Book of World Records as the world largest palace. Its is located on a leafy, riverside sprawl of hills on the banks of the Brunei River, a few kilometers south of Bandar Seri Begawan.

The name "Istana Nurul Iman" is taken from Persian Astane and Arabic Nur-ol Imaan and means Palace of the Light of Faith.

It was designed by the Filipino architect Leandro V. Locsin, who utilized the architectural motif of golden domes and vaulted roofs to echo Brunei's Islamic and Malay influences.

The palace contains 1,788 rooms, which includes 257 bathrooms, a banquet hall that can be expanded to accommodate up to 5,000 guests, a mosque accommodating 1,500 people and also  a 110-car garage, an air conditioned stable for the Sultan's 200 polo ponies, and 5 swimming pools. Because the palace is a massive huge, the sultan takes his official audiences at the palace. The palace is also used for all the State functions of the government of Brunei.

While the palace is open to the public during  the annual Islamic celebration of Hari Raya Aidilfitri (the festival at the end of the Muslim fasting month) when the palace receives about 110,000 visitors over a three-day period where the guests receive gifts of food as well as green packets containing money for young children. The palace is also open to Muslims during 10 days of the Ramadhan period for the Bertedarus prayer gathering.