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Exploring Kuala Kangsar
This sight is located in Perak, Malaysia. Your base to visit it is Ipoh, the capital of Perak. Read the Ipoh Travel Guide for useful information about Ipoh. For more background about Perak, read the Perak Travel Guide. To prepare for a trip to Malaysia, read also the Malaysia Travel Guide. Looking for accommodation? Find good, clean rooms at Budget Accommodation Guide |
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History of Kuala Kangsar Places of interest in Kuala Kangsar Read also: Perak Travel Guide |
The Royal Town of Kuala Kangsar is located where the Perak River makes a sharp bend. I have been to Kuala Kangsar a few times, and have organised trips for AsiaExplorers members to visit it. I took the above photograph on a trip which I made with my girlfriend when we explored it to document the sights for AsiaExplorers. This beautifully preserved town is worth exploring, especially for heritage enthusiasts, for this small town is home to some of the most charming architecture in Malaysia.
Right in the middle of town is the Kuala Kangsar Clock Tower.
History of Kuala Kangsar
The name Kuala Kangsar is believed to have come from "Kuala Karong-Sa", which means "99 tributaries", referring to the tributaries that empty into the Perak River. Along the bend of the river, Sultan Yusuf Sharifuddin Mudzaffar Shah erected his palace, Istana Sri Sayong. This was a strange decision, as the palace was exposed to enemy invasion as well as the unpredictable river. Even though an invasion did not materialize, its vulnerability to the elements proved to be its undoing when, the Big Flood or Air Bah of 1926 almost swept it away. Only then was a decision made to move the palace to higher ground. The site chosen was a gentle knoll close-by, on which today stands the present residence of the Sultan of Perak, the Istana Iskandariah, a fine piece of Art-Deco architecture.The royal quarters, which include Istana Iskandariah, Istana Ulu, the Ubudiah Mosque and Istana Kenangan, all stand on one side of Kuala Kangsar, on a knoll called Bukit Chandan away from the rest of town, and separated by a large park along the riverbank called Dataran Sungai Perak.
Places of interest in Kuala Kangsar
The following are dates associated with the major landmarks in Kuala Kangsar:1877 - First Rubber Tree in Malaya was planted.
1903 - Istana Ulu was built.
1905 - Kuala Kangsar Malay College opened.
1917 - Ubudiah Mosque was built.
1926 - Istana Iskandariah and Istana Kenangan were built.
1930 - Pavilion Square Tower was built.