Istana Kampong Glam
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Istana Kampong Glam (Malay for "Kampong Glam Palace"; Chinese: 甘榜格南皇宫), also Istana Kampong Gelam, is a former Malay palace in Singapore. It is located near Masjid Sultan in Kampong Glam. The palace and compounds were refurbished into the Malay Heritage Centre in 2004.
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[edit] History
[edit] Early days
The original Istana Kampong Glam built by Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor around 1820 is believed to be a wooden structure in the area to the east of Beach Road. When it was completed, it occupied an area twice the size of the present compound, which was reduced in 1824 for the construction of North Bridge Road.
[edit] Rebuilding
The concrete structure of the Istana that has been restored today was commissioned by Sultan Hussein's son, Sultan Ali Iskandar Shah of the Johor Riau-Lingga Empire in 1835. It was built on the site of the original building between 1836 and 1843.
The new two-storey Istana is believed to be designed by colonial architect George Drumgoole Coleman. Its design is a combination of the Palladian style, which was then popular in England, with traditional Malay motifs. Some of its architectural features are similar to those of other buildings Coleman designed, such as the Old Parliament House and the Armenian Church.
The extensive compound of the Istana was enclosed by a perimeter wall. Small kampong-style houses were built around this perimeter for the Sultan's kin, servants and artisans.
After its completion in 1843, Tengku Allum, Sultan Ali's son lived in it until his death in 1891. He was buried in the royal grave at the Sultan Mosque.
[edit] Succession dispute
In 1896, there was a succession dispute in Sultan Hussein's family over rights to the Kampong Glam estate, and the matter went to court. In 1897, the court ruled that no one could rightfully claim to be the successor of the Sultan and that the estate belonged to the Crown. (The estate became state land when Singapore gained independence.)
In 1904, the Sultan Hussein Ordinance was enacted to provide the descendants of Sultan Hussein with income derived from the Kampong Glam estate. The amount was capped at S$250,000 in 1991, revised by the government in 1999. Under the new scheme, the beneficiaries could opt either for a share of S$350,000 a year for 30 years or for a lump sum payment.
Residents still living in the Istana were resettled, as the building was to undergo conservation works. Until that time, the Istana had been the private residence for the Sultan's descendants.
[edit] Restoration
The Istana Kampong Glam and compounds were refurbished as part of the development of the Malay Heritage Centre in 2004. The Istana has been faithfully restored according to Coleman's design with special emphasis on its setting, retaining the compound, its walled enclosure and the road leading to the building. Timber and cement were used to replicate the interior flooring of the former building.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- National Heritage Board (2006), Discover Singapore - Heritage Trails, ISBN 981-05-6433-3
- Tommy Koh et al. (2006), Singapore: The Encyclopedia, Editions Didier Millet and National Heritage Board, ISBN 981-4155-63-2
