Bandar Seri Begawan, estimated population 46,229 (1991), is the capital and the royal town of the Sultanate of Brunei. The city is the home of producers of furniture, textiles, handicrafts, and timber. It is the site of the Royal Ceremonial Hall or Lapau, Royal Regalia Building, the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, the Malay Technology Museum, and the Brunei History Center. Bandar Seri Begawan is located at 4°55' North, 114°55' East (4.91667, 114.91667).
The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, built in 1958, features a giant golden dome and a luxurious interior of Italian marble walls, carpeting and an elevator. It also has opulent underground tunnels, which are used by the sultan on private journeys through the town.
This city is also unique in that it also incorporates a nearby water village, Kampung Ayer, which has houses on stilts and stretches out into the sea for about 500 metres. The Malay Technology Museum contains exhibits about water village architecture.
The first part of its name, Bandar, comes from Persian بندر and means "port" or "haven" (bandar means "town" in Malay). The second part of its name Seri Begawan has its origin in the words Sri Bhagwan of Sanskrit, and means Blessed One. The city was formerly known as Brunei Town, but it changed its name on October 3, 1970.
Prominent schools in Bandar Seri Begawan include St. Andrew's School, International School Brunei (ISB), and Jerudong International School (JIS).
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