Brunei - Tomb of Sultan Syarif Ali

Sultan Syarif Ali was the third Sultan of Brunei, who reigned between 1426 and 1432. He was responsible for bringing Islam to Brunei and then spreading it far and wide through the region. The tomb is adjacent to the Brunei museum. I wandered down, first to the gateway and had a bit of a shock!


It was a stinking hot day and about the middle of the day. Inside the gateway building, were two labourers, sound asleep! Their truck was parked on the road. I guess this is the best place they'd found for their daily siesta! Who can blame them, the building was richly decorated, full of interesting explanatory panels, oh and it was shady! I tiptoed past, not wanting to wake them up. They were obviously hard workers...


The tomb itself was quite interesting. It was the traditional bronze dome, but this one had a building underneath with an odd shape. I think it was an heaxgonal shape, which was rather odd. Odd, but impressive.


Unlike some of the other attractions in Brunei, this one was behind high gates, which were chained shut. Either there's been a history of people sleeping inside, or there must be something expensive to steal! The tomb itself was quite colourful, but it was impossible to get very close due to the high gates. It was right on the edge of the hill too, so you couldn't walk around the side either.

It was another interesting site to visit. It's a shame I couldn't get closer, so I guess the Sultan will get to keep his secrets to himself for a while longer.