The Istana Darul Hana (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

: ''Darul Hana Palace'') is one of the few remaining

palaces A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whic ...

Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by t ...

which notably, is the former residence of

Omar Ali Saifuddien III Sultan Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien ( Jawi: ; 23 September 1914 – 7 September 1986) was the 28th Sultan of Brunei, reigning from 4 June 1950 until his abdication from the throne on 5 October 1967. He was also Brunei's fir ...

from 1951 to 1987. The palace is located on a

hill A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit. Terminology The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is universally considered to be not a ...

at Kilometer 3 of Jalan Tutong in Kampong Tumasek,

Brunei-Muara District Brunei-Muara District ( ms, Daerah Brunei dan Muara; Jawi: برونائی-موارا ضلع) or simply Brunei-Muara is one of the four districts of Brunei. It has the smallest area among the four districts, with , yet is the most populous, w ...

. It is sometimes referred to as Istana Lama.

Name

The English translation of the two Arabic phrases "Darul Hana" is "Happy Country," and it has no religious connotations. It is widely believed that Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III named the palace "Darul Hana" after Sarawak, a former possession of the Brunei Sultanate. It can also be translated to "peace and tranquility."

Design and construction

Istana Darul Hana is built alongside and facing the

Brunei River The Brunei River ( ms, Sungai Brunei) is a river which flows through Brunei and empties into the Brunei Bay towards the north-east direction. The Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, stands on its banks. The Brunei ...

. It was first constructed from

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wid ...

and

cement A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel ( aggregate) together. Cement mi ...

in 1950, and later completed in 1951. It covers an estimated area of . A few notable aspects of the palace is its

water fountain A drinking fountain, also called a water fountain or water bubbler, is a fountain designed to provide drinking water. It consists of a basin with either continuously running water or a tap. The drinker bends down to the stream of water and s ...

, Show Room, Balai Singgahsana, and Regalia House. Since its completion, the palace has seen expansions and additions. This is the first palace constructed completely of cement. According to a 1974 report at the palace, "Extensions to Princesses' Apartments and Remodelling of the Store Roof" were noted.

History

Upon its completion in 1951, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III would soon make it his official residence later year on 10 May. During its service period, it was regularly used to celebrate or commemorate royal engagements. Hassanal Bolkiah also received his early education by private tuition at the palace prior to attending top schools in both his country and

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

. In order to compel the Sultan of Brunei to proclaim a Federal State of North Kalimantan during the 1962 Brunei revolt, the rebels of the

Brunei People's Party Brunei People's Party (Malay: ''Parti Rakyat Brunei, PRB'') is a banned political party in Brunei. PRB was established as a left leaning party in 1956 and aimed to bring Brunei into full independence from the United Kingdom. The party sought ...

had planned and attempted to kidnap the Sultan, but were not successful. His Majesty and his family were still at the palace on the night of the uprising, joined by a number of state dignitaries and six police officers. Later on 29 July 1965, the wedding ceremony between then Prince Hassanal Bolkiah and Princess Saleha were held at the palace. The palace would once again be used for another national event which is the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III's

abdication Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...

in 1967, and its rule be transferred to his son, then Prince Hassanal Bolkiah. Later in October 1969, the palace was used for the wedding of Princess Masna and Pengiran Anak Abdul Aziz. It will continue be used until the completion of the new

Istana Nurul Iman The Istana Nurul Iman ( Jawi: ايستان نور الإيمان; English: The Light of Faith Palace) is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, and the seat of the Brunei government. The palace is located on a leafy ...

around 1987. As of 2009, it is one of the only three remaining palaces that still exists in the country, with the other two being Istana Nurul Iman and Istana Nurul Izzah.

Gallery

File:Istana Darul Hana in 1959.jpg, Section of the palace in 1959 File:Istana Darul Hana 2023 04.jpg, The palace's surau File:Istana Darul Hana 17 June 2023.jpg, Northwestern face of the palace File:Istana Darul Hana 2023 03.jpg, Southeastern gate to the palace File:Istana Darul Hana 2023 05.jpg, The palace's police housing

References

External links