Istana Nurul Iman

Kroo Moo Noi

​Name : Istana Nurul Iman
Meaning: Istana, from Malay, means 'palace', while Nural Iman, from Arabic, means 'the light of the faith'.
Owner: Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei
Cost: US$1.5 billion
Claims of fame: It is the largest residential palace in the world and the largest house ever built for one family.

Istana Nurul Iman

Kroo Moo Noi

​Completed : The building was finished on 1 January 1984, the date of Brunei's independence from Britain
Location: It is surrounded by tree on the bank of the Brunei River, close to the capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan.
Architect: The palace was designed by Leandro V Locsin, from the Philippines, who also designed the Cultural Centre of the Philippines

Istana Nurul Iman

Kroo Moo Noi

​Interior designer : The rooms were designed by Khuan Chew, who was born in China but grew up in England. She was also responsible for the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai
Appearance: The building is a mix of European and Malay architecture, with white exterior walls curved roofs with gold domes. The interior is decorated with gold and 38 kinds of Italian marble.

Istana Nurul Iman

Kroo Moo Noi

​Size: It occupies 200,000 square metres over 17 floors, some of which are underground.
Total rooms: 1,788
Facilities : The palace has: 257 bathrooms; 18 lifts; a dining hall for up to 5,000 people; a mosque for up to 1,500 people; a garage for 110 cars; a stable with air-conditioning for 200 horses; 5 swimming pools; and galleries for the Sultan's art collection, worth US$70 million.

Istana Nurul Iman

Kroo Moo Noi

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Public opening: Guests are invited for 10 days during the Muslim festival of Ramadan and for three days at Hari Raya Aidilfitr, the celebration to mark the end of Ramadan. Over 100,000 visitors a year receive food and children receive money packets.