The History of Istana Negara in Perak
The Istana Negara in Perak was the official palace of the Sultan of Perak, built on the site of
Istana Iskandariah
today, which is at the peak of Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsar.
Istana Negara was built by the late Sultan Idris Murshidul'adzam Shah I, the 28th Sultan of Perak, and was fully completed in 1895. Before it was named Istana Negara, the palace was introduced as Istana Idris, named after the 28th Sultan of Perak who ruled the state of Perak at that time. On April 5, 1889, the late Sultan Idris Murshidul'adzam Shah I was installed as the 28th Sultan of Perak. He decided to move the state's administrative center from Sayong to Changkat Negara, Bukit Chandan. Sultan Idris I named the palace he built Istana Idris in 1895.
Two years later, in 1897, Istana Idris was renamed Istana Negara. This palace witnessed a piece of Malaysian history during the
First Meeting of the Council of Rulers of the Federated Malay States
which is
the Durbar Meeting
.
The First Meeting of the Council of Rulers of the Federated Malay States
, or better known as the
Durbar Meeting
, was held from July 13 to 17, 1897, at Istana Negara, Kuala Kangsar. The word 'Durbar' originates from the Urdu and Persian word 'Darbar', which means a royal court. Durbar also refers to a general meeting or conference held by Kings, governors, or British Royal Officials in India in the past.
After 36 years of Istana Negara standing firmly on Bukit Chandan, in 1931,
Sultan Iskandar Shah I
, the 30th Sultan of Perak, decided to replace the existing Istana Negara with a new palace on the same site. Finally, in that year, Istana Negara was demolished by
Sultan Iskandar Shah I
to make way for the construction of
Istana Iskandariah
as we can see standing firmly to this day.
While
Istana Iskandariah
was under construction,
Sultan Iskandar Shah I
built Istana Lembah, located near the site of Istana Negara. Istana Lembah served as a temporary palace. The name Istana Lembah was changed to Istana Kenangan in 1960 by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Istana Iskandariah
was named after
Sultan Iskandar Shah I
, the 30th Sultan of Perak. Since 1933,
Istana Iskandariah
has become the official residence of the Sultans of Perak.
