First Arch


You must be thinking, what is extraordinary about this arch? We all know where this is. This is the traditional arch on Jalan Sultan in between the Secretariat Building and the General Post Office Building. You cannot imagine His Majesty's birthday without an arch in that location.

This photo is actually a postcard which is part of my collection. I collect old Brunei postcards as part of my hobbies. This one attracted me because this is the first arch made for His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's Birthday. This one was erected in 1968. Remember His Majesty ascended the throne when his father, Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien abdicated in October 1967. So in July 1968, it was the first celebration of His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's birthday as the Sultan of Brunei.

If you look closely, it is not one arch. There is an arch behind the first one. So there are actually two arches erected there.

This postcard is more than 41 years old now.

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