Istana Kampong Glam Singapore

Istana Kampong Glam was the official royal residence of Sultan Hussein Shah who ceded the sovereign rights of Singapore to the British. As part of this historic agreement, the Sultan built a wooden palace in 1820 and named the area Kota Raja, or the King’s Enclave. In 1840, his son, Sultan Ali Iskandar Shah, the last Sultan of Singapore, built the present palace. The Istana presides over extensive vs grounds. Several smaller a Malay village-style houses were built within the walled compound. These housed the Sultan’s large entourage which included his family of hundreds of relatives and servants. Also on the premises I was the Kota Rajah Club, a sports club founded by one of the descendants of the Sultan, where young men of good breeding could enjoy recreational activities such as badminton.

According to the provisions of the 1904 Sultan Hussein Ordinance, enacted by the British Government, the Sultan’s descendants were entitled to live in the palace’ and receive an annual government stipend. Over the years, however, disputes and dwindling fortunes led the palace to gradually fall in ruins.

The Istana Kampong Glam has now been reclaimed by the government, which has compensated the Sultan’s descendants for their displacement. The palace has been transformed into the Malay Heritage Center, to celebrate Malay history, culture, and arts.

How to go to Istana Kampong Glam

Address: Sultan Gate

Contact Number: +65 6390 0450

Nearest MRT: Bugis

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