Royal Retreat at Putrajaya-- Istana Melawati

A little bird told me ....

Perched atop a hill on the north-western side of Putrajaya, this is the royal retreat for His Majesty The Yang Di Pertuan Agong and his family, the venue for meetings with other Rulers as well as the venue for certain official and private functions hosted by the King.

The palace is oriented south-west towards the general direction of the Putra Bridge where you get a good scenic view of the Putrajaya Lake, The Seri Perdana Brideg, Masjid Putra and the Mercu Tanda.

Modelled after ancient Malay palaces, Istana Melawati is pretty similar in design to the Istana Kenangan in Kuala Kangsar,Perak. Cruising along the driveway leading to the palace, one is greeted with streetlights featuring birdcage designs.

Befitting the status of a Royal Palace, the roof forms are arranged on tiered levels- symbolizing the prominent status of the buildings. Open-sided verandahs are also featured prominently throughout the Istana, acting as a very important interface between nature and the built environment in vernacular tropical architecture. The verandahs enable the enjoyment of scented flowers and herbs which are used extensively in the Royal Pleasure Gardens "Taman Indera" within the Palace grounds.

A closer look at some of the decorations within the palace

WITHIN THE PALACE

THE INTERIOR REFLECTS THE SPLENDOUR OF THE EXTERIOR

Located within , there is a lounge that overlooks a ceremonial courtyard flanked by traditioal wooden gazebos built over water. A little distance from the lounge is found a replica of a balai nobat made entirely from cengal wood by master craftsmen from Terengganu.


The Royal Wing houses the private quarters of the King and Queen as well as VIP suites. The Main Wing is where all ceremonial and official functions are held.

Bilik Singgahsana is where all official investiture ceremonies are conducted.

The Rulers' Conference Hall is where rulers of each state converge annually to discuss matters of national importance. Chairs bearing the royal crest of the individual states are assigned , while smaller chairs are reserved for each Mentri Besar.

The Main Banquet Hall seats 250 guests, while a smaller hall is reserved for the royal family to dine in privacy.

Covering a land area of 6.9 ha, Istana Melawati is complete with a swimming pool too.