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Johor Bahru is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Johor, at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula across the Straits of Johor from Singapore. It is known for its royal palaces and state mosque, the temples of its old town and the Johor-Singapore Causeway, the busiest land border crossing in the world.
Under Sultan Abu Bakar, who reigned from 1886 to 1895, the town grew from a fishing village with new administrative centres, offices, schools and a railway to Woodlands in Singapore. Japanese forces occupied Johor Bahru during the Pacific War, and after the war it became the cradle of Malay nationalism, where the political party UMNO was formed.
With a population of 858,118 in 2020, Johor Bahru is Malaysia's largest state capital and a major financial and business centre, second only to Kuala Lumpur in economic competitiveness. It is served by Senai International Airport and counts among the world's 100 most visited cities.
Istana Besar, the Grand Palace of the Sultan of Johor, was built in 1866 under Sultan Abu Bakar and overlooks the Straits of Johor in Johor Bahru. Its Anglo-Malay design has a Malay dome with a blue roof, and the Royal Abu Bakar Museum inside opened in 1990 but closed to the public in 2012.
The Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque, the state mosque of Johor, was built between 1892 and 1900 on a hill above the Straits of Johor in Johor Bahru. Its architect mixed Victorian and some Moorish styles, with minarets in the form of British clock towers, and it holds 2,000 worshippers.
Istana Bukit Serene is the royal palace and residence of the Sultan of Johor in Johor Bahru, completed in 1939 and facing the Straits of Johor and Singapore. Its 35 m tower shows Art Deco influence, and the palace is guarded by the Royal Johor Military Force, the Sultan's own army.
The Sultan Ibrahim Building on Bukit Timbalan in Johor Bahru is the former state secretariat of Johor, begun in 1936 and completed in 1940 to designs by Palmer and Turner. Mixing colonial and Malay styles with a Saracenic tower, it was the tallest building in Malaya before independence.
The Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple is a Hindu temple in Johor Bahru founded in 1922 as a simple shelter on land given by the Sultan of Johor. Rebuilt and reopened in 1996, it was listed in the Malaysian Book of Records in 2010 as the country's first and only glass temple.
Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple on Jalan Trus in Johor Bahru dates from the 1870s and was founded by the Ngee Heng Kongsi led by Tan Hiok Nee. Flanked by skyscrapers, it is a symbol of unity for seven Chinese dialect groups and was renovated in 1995, keeping its century-old bronze bell.
Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum tells the history of the Chinese community of Johor Bahru in a four-storey shophouse. Its documents, musical instruments, old money, photographs and porcelain show the early days of Chinese settlement, with their culture, traditions and trades.
Tan Hiok Nee Street in Johor Bahru is named after Tan Hiok Nee, leader of the Ngee Heng Kongsi, a secret society of the old town. With nearby Dhoby Street it is part of a heritage trail known as Old Buildings Road, where Chinese and Indian businesses and architecture mix together.
The Johor-Singapore Causeway, opened in 1923, runs 1,056 m across the Straits of Johor from Johor Bahru to Woodlands in Singapore. About 300,000 road and rail travellers use it each day, making it one of the world's busiest border crossings, and it also carries a water pipeline.
Danga Bay is the largest recreational park in Johor Bahru, about 7 km from the city centre near Istana Bukit Serene. Developed by Ekovest Berhad, it stretches along a 25 km waterfront facing the Straits of Johor and covers about 450 acres of parkland, homes and shops.
Johor Zoo in Johor Bahru is the oldest zoo in Malaysia, opened in 1928 by Sultan Ibrahim as the Kebun Binatang, or animal garden. Run by the Johor state government since 1962, its 12.5 ha grounds hold more than 100 species in 28 exhibits, including orangutans, chimpanzees and Asian elephants.
Dataran Bandaraya, the city square of Johor Bahru, was completed on 1 January 1994, the day the town was declared a city. It has a 51 m clock tower, a 31 m flagpole and a large field, and its design is said to echo the Sultan Ibrahim Building and the Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque.
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