Inside PM Modi’s Brunei lodgings with 1788 rooms: The Istana Nurul Iman Palace

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Brunei visit has made international headlines for a plethora of reasons. Foremost among them is the fact that this 2-day visit, commencing on September 3, was the first time an Indian Prime Minister has visited the Southeast Asian country of Brunei. Not far off in terms of traction, is the prime property the PM was hosted at by Sultan Hassanlal Bolkiah, Brunei’s ruler. If you haven’t googled it already, say hello to the immensely impressive and gargantuan Istana Nurul Iman Palace.
Spacious is an understatement for the Istana Nurul Iman Palace, also dubbed the ‘Palace of the Light of Faith’ which spans a jaw dropping 2,00,000 square meters. This is what has awarded it the accolade of being the largest residential palace in the world, also affirmed with a Guinness World Record. The rolling space stands well utilised across 1,788 rooms including 257 bathrooms and a sprawling banquet hall with a hosting capacity of 5,000 guests. An absolute standout detail of the Istana Nurul Iman Palace is its very own mosque which can hold about 1,500 worshippers.
Additional details which only enhance the portfolio of this one-of-a-kind space, are parking spots for a 110 cars, a stable for 200 Polo ponies — air-conditioned if you were wondering, 5 swimming pools and 44 staircases. An aesthetic detail definitely worth a mention are the 38 types of marble used to bring this magnanimity to life.
If you’re wondering how much it took to turn this grand vision into a palpable reality, we have a number for you. It’s $1.4 billion.
Moving ahead of the marble, the palace’s architectural intricacies are objectively laudable. Across a white and gold palette capped with golden domes, the palace carries an amalgamation of Brunei’s Islamic culture as well as the Malay traditions. Incidentally, the interiors have been conceptualised by Khuan Chew, also responsible for Dubai’s keynote Burj Al Arab. On the topic of interiors, the stellar art makes for a magnificent attraction, with a Renoir painting worth $70 million. Briefly going back to the domes, the primary exterior point of attraction is the central dome studded with 22-carat gold.
The palace is a few decades old and was commissioned by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah himself back in 1981. Filipino architect Leonardo Locsin in collaboration with Ayala Corporation, completed the world-renowned project by 1984.