Istana Kampong Glam

Brief information

Istana Kampong Glam is important because the present palace stands on the site of an earlier residence of Sultan Hussein Shah. The first structure appeared in 1819 and was presumably wooden. Later, the sultan’s eldest son, Ali Iskander Shah, replaced it with a two-story building, which established the place’s present-day appearance.

The palace is located by the Sultan Hussein Mosque in Kampong Glam, so it should be understood not as a separate beautiful building, but as part of the former sultan’s compound. In 2004, the palace itself and its grounds were restored as part of the Malay Heritage Centre. Thus the former residence became a place where political and family history can be read through the preserved layout of the complex.

What to notice right away

The main focus of the visit is how the palace combines a courtly form with more domestic surroundings. The two-story building acquired an appearance in which English Palladianism is joined with traditional Malay motifs. This explains why the palace is connected not only with local authority, but also with the British colonial administration: the design probably belonged to G. D. Coleman, and the construction was paid for by the British.

It is worth noticing the perimeter: the palace was enclosed by a wall, and nearby stood small houses in a rural Malay style for the sultan’s entourage. These details show that the complex was not a single ceremonial building, but a residential and service space. Later, the Kota Raja Club sports club appeared on the grounds, founded by one of the sultan’s descendants; this fact sharply changes the scale of perception — the former palace compound was also used for the everyday life of the young aristocracy.