The Astana, Sarawak - Misplaced Pages

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Official residence in Sarawak, Malaysia

The Astana
Front view of the building from the Kuching Waterfront

General information
Status	Completed
Type	Official residence
Location	Kuching, Sarawak
Country	Malaysia
Coordinates	1°33′49″N 110°20′44″E / 1.56361°N 110.34556°E / 1.56361; 110.34556
Current tenants	Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak
Construction started	1870; 154 years ago (1870)
Completed	1888; 136 years ago (1888)
Technical details
Floor count	1
Lifts/elevators	None

The Astana (Malay: Astana Sarawak) is a palace in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, on the north bank of the Sarawak River, opposite the Kuching Waterfront. It is the official residence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak (Governor of Sarawak). The name is a variation of 'istana', meaning 'palace'. It was built in 1870 by the second White Rajah, Charles Brooke, as a wedding gift to his wife, Margaret Alice Lili de Windt. The palace is not normally open to the public, although the landscaped gardens are, which can be reached by a boat ride across the Sarawak River. It is part of the Kuching Heritage Trail.

History

The Astana, then called Government House, was built in 1870 by the second White Rajah, Charles Brooke, as a wedding gift to his wife, Margaret Alice Lili de Windt. The couple married at Highworth, Wiltshire on 28 October 1869 and she was then raised to the title of Ranee of Sarawak with the style of Her Highness. Ranee Margaret arrived in Sarawak in 1870, and the royal couple then occupied The Astana as their main home. She later reminisced about life in The Astana and colonial Borneo in her memoir My Life in Sarawak, which was published in 1913. Brooke is said to have cultivated betel nut in a small plantation behind The Astana, so that he could offer fresh betel nut to visiting Dayak chiefs.

The Astana in 1896
The Astana in 1959
The Governor's office in 1959
Ranee's bedroom in 1959

Architecture

The residence was originally three separate buildings, which were interconnected by short and narrow passageways. The Astana has since undergone major renovations and alterations befitting it as the official residence of the governor of Sarawak.

References

^ Tamara Thiessen (2008). Bradt Travel Guide - Borneo. Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 242–. ISBN 978-1-84162-252-1.
^ Graham Land (2018). "Kuching's colonial heritage". Asian Correspondent. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
^ Sam Bedford (29 May 2018). "The Astana: Kuching's Palace of the White Rajahs". Culture Trip. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
^ "Old Kuching Heritage Trail". Sarawak Tourism. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
"The girl who would be queen". The Telegraph. 2 June 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
Margaret Brooke (Ranee of Sarawak.) (1913). My Life in Sarawak. Methuen.
Alan Teh Leam Seng (8 October 2017). "Home of the White Rajahs". New Straits Times. Retrieved 26 February 2019.

External links

Media related to The Astana, Sarawak at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Colonial architecture of Malaysia
British	All Saints' Church All Souls' Church Atkinson Clock Tower Bank of China Building Batu Tinagat Lighthouse Church of the Assumption Church of the Immaculate Conception (Johor) Church of the Immaculate Conception (Penang) Church of the Risen Christ Coliseum Theatre Eastern & Oriental Hotel Federated Malay States Survey Office Foo Tye Sin Mansion Fort Alice Fort Cornwallis Fort Cornwallis Lighthouse Fort Hose Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Hin Bus Depot Holy Spirit Cathedral Hotel Majestic HSBC Penang India House Istana Besar Istana Bukit Serene Jesselton Freemason Hall Jesselton Hotel Jubilee Clock Tower Kellie's Castle Labuan Chimney Labuan Clock Tower Malacca Light Malay and Islamic World Museum Melalap railway station National Textile Museum OCBC Penang One Fathom Bank Lighthouse Penang City Hall Pulau Pisang Lighthouse Penang High Court Penang Islamic Department Building Penang Masonic Temple Penang State Assembly Building Round Tower Penang Town Hall Sabah Tourism Board Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu Sarawak State Museum Seri Mutiara Seri Teratai St. Anne's Church St. George's Church St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral St. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan Standard Chartered Bank Building Suffolk House Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque Sultan Ibrahim Building The Astana Undan Island Lighthouse Wisma Kastam Woodville
Dutch	Christ Church Dutch Fort Governor's Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Middelburg Bastion Proclamation of Independence Memorial Stadthuys St. John's Fort St. Peter's Church
French	Church of St. Francis Xavier
German	Kinarut Mansion
Japanese	Tawau Bell Tower
Portuguese	Cape Rachado Lighthouse Fortress of Malacca St. Paul's Church

Historical buildings, memorials, monuments and sites in Malaysia

West Malaysia

Buildings

Johor	Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple Church of the Immaculate Conception Dato' Bentara Luar Mosque Istana Besar Istana Bukit Serene Johor Bahru railway station Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple Pulau Pisang Lighthouse Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque Sultan Ibrahim Jamek Mosque Sultan Ibrahim Building Sultanah Aminah Hospital Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital
Kedah	Kedah State Art Gallery Zahir Mosque Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Gallery Sungai Petani clock tower
Kelantan	Istana Batu Istana Jahar Kampung Laut Mosque
Kuala Lumpur	Buddhist Maha Vihara Coliseum Theatre DBKL City Theatre Hotel Majestic Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur railway station Lee Rubber Building National Mosque of Malaysia National Textile Museum Pasar Seni Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Sri Kandaswamy Kovil Sri Mahamariamman Temple Sultan Abdul Samad Building St. John's Cathedral St. Mary's Cathedral Victoria Institution
Malacca	Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Christ Church Church of St. Francis Xavier Cape Rachado Lighthouse Fortress of Malacca Kampung Hulu Mosque Kampung Kling Mosque Malay and Islamic World Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Malaysia Youth Museum Middelburg Bastion Poh San Teng Temple Proclamation of Independence Memorial Stadthuys St. John's Fort St. Paul's Church St. Peter's Church Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple Tamil Methodist Church Tranquerah Mosque Undan Island Lighthouse
Negeri Sembilan	Istana Ampang Tinggi Istana Seri Menanti Seremban railway station
Pahang	All Souls' Church Sri Marathandavar Bala Dhandayuthapani Alayam Sultan Abu Bakar Museum
Penang	Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple Bank of China Building Cenotaph Church of the Risen Christ City Hall Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion Church of the Assumption Church of the Immaculate Conception Dhammikarama Burmese Temple Eastern & Oriental Hotel Foo Tye Sin Mansion Fort Cornwallis Fort Cornwallis Lighthouse Goddess of Mercy Temple Hin Bus Depot Holy Spirit Cathedral HSBC Building India House Jade Emperor God Temple Jalan Baru Sri Muniswarar Temple Jubilee Clock Tower Kapitan Keling Mosque Kek Lok Si Khoo Kongsi Lebuh Aceh Mosque Mahindarama Buddhist Temple Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple OCBC Building Penang High Court Penang Islamic Department Building Penang Islamic Museum Penang Masonic Temple Penang State Assembly Building Pinang Peranakan Mansion Penang Town Hall Seri Mutiara Thean Kong Thnuah Temple Snake Temple Seri Teratai Sri Mahamariamman Temple St. Anne's Church St. George's Church Suffolk House War Memorial Park Wat Buppharam Wat Chayamangkalaram Woodville
Perak	Al-Ghufran Royal Mausoleum All Saints' Church Church of St. Anthony of Padua Dutch Fort Ipoh railway station Kellie's Castle Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan Panglima Kinta Mosque Perak State Museum Sam Poh Tong Temple Taiping Hospital Ubudiah Mosque
Perlis	Alwi Mosque
Selangor	Alaeddin Mosque Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Klang Hatter's Castle Istana Bandar One Fathom Bank Lighthouse Sri Sunderaraja Perumal Temple Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple Sultan Sulaiman Mosque Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery Wat Chetawan
Terengganu	Abidin Mosque Duyong Old Fort Ho Ann Kiong Temple Istana Maziah Rumah Warisan Haji Su Tian Hou Gong Temple

Memorials
and monuments

Site

East Malaysia

Buildings

Labuan	Labuan Chimney Labuan Clock Tower
Sabah	Agnes Keith House Atkinson Clock Tower Batu Tinagat Lighthouse Jesselton Freemason Hall Jesselton Hotel Keningau Heritage Museum Kinarut Mansion Melalap railway station Sabah Tourism Board Sacred Heart Cathedral, Kota Kinabalu Sam Sing Kung Temple Sandakan Heritage Museum Sandakan Jamek Mosque St. Michael's Church, Penampang St. Michael's and All Angels Church, Sandakan Tawau Bell Tower
Sarawak	Chinese History Museum Ching San Yen Temple Fort Alice Fort Hose Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Hong San Si Temple Islamic Heritage Museum Kuching Old Courthouse Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu Sarawak State Museum Square Tower The Astana Tua Pek Kong Temple, Kuching Tua Pek Kong Temple, Miri Tua Pek Kong Temple, Sibu

Memorials
and monuments

Site

v t e Museums in Malaysia
Johor	Bugis Museum Figure Museum Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum Kite Museum Kota Johor Lama Museum Kota Tinggi Museum KTM Museum Pineapple Museum Tanjung Balau Fishermen Museum
Kedah	Paddy Museum
Kelantan	Istana Batu Royal Museum Kelantan Islamic Museum Kelantan Museum
Kuala Lumpur	Islamic Arts Museum Maybank Numismatic Museum National Art Gallery National History Museum National Museum National Textile Museum Royal Museum Royal Malaysian Police Museum Telekom Museum
Labuan	Chimney Museum Labuan Maritime Museum Labuan Museum
Malacca	Aborigines Museum Agricultural Museum Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum Beauty Museum Cheng Ho Cultural Museum Chitty Museum Democratic Government Museum Education Museum Governor's Museum History and Ethnography Museum Kite Museum Malacca Al-Quran Museum Malacca Bee Gallery Malacca Islamic Museum Malacca Literature Museum Malacca Stamp Museum Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum Malacca UMNO Museum Malay and Islamic World Museum Malaysia Architecture Museum Malaysia Prison Museum Malaysia Youth Museum Maritime Museum People's Museum Royal Malaysian Customs Department Museum Royal Malaysian Navy Museum Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum Submarine Museum Toy Museum
Negeri Sembilan	Custom Museum Lukut Fort and Museum
Pahang	Sultan Abu Bakar Museum Time Tunnel
Penang	Penang Indian Heritage Museum Batik Painting Museum Penang Camera Museum Penang Islamic Museum Penang State Museum and Art Gallery Penang Toy Museum Sun Yat-sen Museum Penang
Perak	Beruas Museum Darul Ridzuan Museum Geological Museum Palong Tin Museum Perak Museum Perak Royal Museum Sitiawan Settlement Museum
Perlis	Kota Kayang Museum
Sabah	Keningau Heritage Museum Mat Sator Museum Pogunon Community Museum Sabah Islamic Civilisation Museum Sabah Museum Sandakan Heritage Museum Tun Sakaran Museum
Sarawak	Chinese History Museum Kuching Cat Museum Petroleum Museum Sarawak State Museum Textile Museum Sarawak Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum
Selangor	Malay Heritage Museum Orang Asli Museum Petaling Jaya Museum Sultan Alam Shah Museum

Raj of Sarawak

Rajahs

James Brooke (1841–1868)
Charles Brooke (1868–1917)
Charles Vyner Brooke (1917–1946)

Kingdom

Government	Heads of government British representatives
Symbols	Constitution Coat of arms Flag Anthem Currency Revenue stamps Order of the Star of Sarawak
Organisations	Borneo Company Limited Sarawak Rangers
Buildings	Fort Alice Fort Margherita Fort Sylvia Sarawak State Museum The Astana Square Tower

Dissolution

Categories:

History

Architecture

See also

References

External links