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| genre: heritage title: istana kenangan #2, kuala kangsar medium: oil painting on canvas size: 91cm x 122cm year: 2015 price: sold |
Kuala Kangsar is the Royal City of Perak State which famous for its palaces with unique and beautiful architecture. One of the palaces is Istana Kenangan or the Palace of Memories close to Istana Iskandariah at Bukit Chandan in Kuala Kangsar in Perak. Istana Kenangan now has a new look after it became the Royal Museum of Kuala Kangsar. Inauguration ceremony of the Royal Museum was done by Sultan Azlan Shah Muhibuddin on November 16, 1986. Istana Kenangan created as the Royal Museum. It was built in 1926 by a Malay craftsman from Binjai in Bukit Mertajam in Penang, named Mr Sopian and assisted by his two sons Zainal Abidin and Ismail. The palace was built on the order of the late Sultan Iskandar as his temporary dwelling because at that time Istana Iskandariah was still in the construction process. Previously, he had resided in Istana Negara but the palace was demolished because the base of it was used as a site for Istana Iskandariah.
Originally, this palace was known as Istana Lembah or the Palace of Valley, according to the position of it in an area of wetland and it is also often referred to as Istana Kuning or Yellow Palace due to most parts of the palace were painted yellow. The name of Istana Kenangan is just used beginning in the late 1960s after the palace restored with an effort YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman. This palace has been converted into a museum was once recorded a historic event of ownership of it. This palace was once the residence of the late Sultan Iskandar from year 1931 until 1933 before he moved to Istana Iskandariah. Istana Kenangan was also often used as Istana Tetamu or the Guest Palace especially on festive days and customs of kings such as, Prince Birthday Day. Especially for the royal family, the palace was also known as Istana Mayat or the Palace of Bodies because it was once used as a stopover for bodies royal family to be refined before being buried.
In 1941, before the Second World War, the palace was also once occupied by students from Maktab Perguruan Sultan Idris (MPSI). This is because the College building was used for a hospital by the British Military, and the late Sultan Abdul Aziz has consented that MPSI students moved to Istana Kenangan and to two other palaces namely Istana Hilir and Istana Hulu. However, upon ended of the Second World War in Malaya, the students were ordered to return to their villages.
In terms of architectural design, Istana Kenangan is one of symbolizing of the traditional Malay architecture. It is awesome. Construction of the building is entirely kind of hardwoods, wooden-tie wall, and plank roof tiles. There is not found any metal spike used in the construction. In most parts of it are decorated with carvings symbolizing the traditional pattern. This coupled with Dinding Tepas or Wall Bamboo Wickerwork with Keralai or Diamond-shaped Pattern. Two-storeys of the palace building are built on 60 rod poles, the spaciousness approximately 42 meters in length and 11 meters in width. The shape of this building is quite unique, if it was viewed from the top it seemed to be a sword stored in a scabbard. This shape is well suited at all, because the sword is one of the tools for the Perak royal dignity.
The pavilion whereabouts available at the Palace or the Royal Museum is still showing some of the original arrangement of palace rooms and corners such as, lounge, place of rest, assembly hall, and throne. However the devices of royal insignia are not shown here due to a security factor, and the exhibited things are only pictures of the devices. Compatible with the name Palace Memories, this palace is now being a museum that has really exude of the Royal images, and revive memories for the visitors of this museum concerning the government and the indigenous Malay civilization. It can be seen from the design of the building with beautiful sculptures and exhibit sequence on the Perak history since the Beruas Government exists. Royal Museum is not only displaying historical artifacts and culture, but also the history of the Malay corollaries and glorious in the past.