Background and History of the Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery
It is a source of pride that the state of Perak possesses a gallery built with beautiful and attractive architecture. We are pleased to inform all loyal readers of orangperak.com that the Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery deserves to be held in the same regard as other world-renowned galleries, as it is truly fascinating and holds sentimental value for all the people of Perak.
The idea for the establishment of the Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery was born from the vision of the late
Sultan Azlan Shah
(the 34th Sultan of Perak), who wished for this gallery to serve as a public knowledge resource center regarding his life's journey. Therefore, all the people of Perak should visit this gallery to learn more about the life of the 34th Sultan of Perak.
Visiting Hours:
- Saturday to Thursday: 10.00am to 5.00pm
- Friday: 10.00am to 12.15pm
- Reopens: 2.45pm to 5.00pm
For the information of all loyal readers of orangperak.com, the Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery was inaugurated on December 9, 2003, by the late
Sultan Azlan Shah
(the 34th Sultan of Perak).
The late Sultan Azlan Shah (34th Sultan of Perak)
Since the opening of the Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery, it has been well-received by people from all walks of life, both local and from afar. For your information, the entrance fees for the Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery are as follows:
- Adults: RM4.00
- Senior Citizens / University Students / Secondary School Students: RM2.00
- Primary School Students: RM1.00
- *refer to the latest prices at gsas.perak.gov.my
The story behind the Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery is that it was rebuilt from an old palace known as Istana Ulu or Istana Kota. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, Istana Ulu or Istana Kota is located in Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsar, not far from the Ubudiah Mosque. This was the original residence of the 28th Sultan of Perak, the late Sultan Idris Mursyidul ‘Adzam Shah, who reigned from 1887 to 1916.
Istana Ulu, also known as Istana Kota, was built in 1898 and completed in 1903. As additional information for our loyal readers, Istana Ulu was also once the residence of the late Sultan Abdul Jalil (the 29th Sultan of Perak), who was the son of Sultan Idris Mursyidul ‘Adzam Shah (the 28th Sultan of Perak). When the late Sultan Abdul Jalil (the 29th Sultan of Perak) passed away in 1918, Istana Ulu became the residence of his son, the late Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah (the 32nd Sultan of Perak), who ruled Perak from 1948 to 1963. Did you know that the late Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah (the 32nd Sultan of Perak) was the grandfather of Sultan Nazrin Shah, the 35th Sultan of Perak?
Istana Ulu
Istana Ulu has a history closely linked to the relocation of the Perak Sultanate's administrative center from the Sayong district to the Bukit Chandan district. Beyond the name Istana Kota, there are other titles given to it. Other names for Istana Ulu include Istana Cinta Berahi and Istana Cempaka Sari. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, Istana Ulu was designed by Captain Maurice Alexander Cameron, who was the Deputy Colonial Engineer and Chief Surveyor of the Straits Settlements at the time. The roof of the palace was built with design influences from Aceh. The evidence lies in the use of the pyramid-shaped roof. There are also architectural influences from India in the domes on both towers of the building. The services of a famous carver at the time, a royal relative named Raja Harun Al-Rashid, were employed to carve the wood on the palace structure as decoration, with the fine art inspired by the natural flora found in the palace gardens. There are also stone carvings that were crafted according to the wishes and approval of the late Sultan Idris I (the 28th Sultan of Perak).
Interestingly, the late Sultan Idris I (the 28th Sultan of Perak) personally ensured that there were no carvings contrary to Islamic teachings, such as animal shapes or statues. This reflects the Sultan's concern and commitment to upholding the prohibitions of the official religion, Islam. Most of the building materials for Istana Ulu were imported from abroad. The roof tiles were from France, the floor tiles from Italy, and the copper for the domes from India. Many local materials were also used, such as the roof frame made from Cengal wood and carvings made from the finest Meranti wood.
Trading ships passing through the Perak River waters brought building materials from abroad for the construction of Istana Ulu, while domesticated elephants were used to transport local materials. Istana Ulu was also enclosed by a fortress wall built around the palace, which is why it became known as Istana Kota (Fortress Palace).
