New Palace, Kuala Lumpur

New Palace, Kuala Lumpur

Previous Malaysian rulers (Yang Di-Pertuan Agong) had found the erstwhile palace at Jalan Istana too small, so a New Palace was built at Jalan Duta.

Previous Malaysian rulers (Yang Di-Pertuan Agong) had found the erstwhile palace at Jalan Istana too small, so a New Palace was built at Jalan Duta. It is some distance away from other major attractions in Kuala Lumpur, but still a stop on several city tours.

The new Istana Negara is a sprawling white palace built in traditional Malay and Islamic styles, with 22 golden yellow domes designed on betelnut leaves. It is divided into 3 sections - the lower floor houses the Administrative office for operations and maintenance of the complex, while the main floor has the Formal wing, and the Royal Wing which has the King's office and the royal family's residence.

The Balairong Seri or main throne room in the Eastern wing is used for official ceremonial occasions, including inauguration of the newly elected King and oath-taking by the government. The royal throne room is finely decorated with Malay traditional carvings and calligraphy of Quranic verses from handiwork of famous woodcarving masters from Kelantan and Terengganu. Most of the rooms in the palace have similar Islamic elements, with carvings of Quranic verses and radiant chandeliers. The central dome is surrounded by large round pillars and 8 paintings depicting the country's history from the Malacca Sultanate to the present time.

The palace is off-limits to tourists, but you can see the main gateway which is covered in floral designs of the hibiscus and other Islamic motifs. You can see the palace guards from the first Malay Regiment and the horse-mounted guards. You can also see the beautiful gardens surrounding the palace building.