Siak Sri Indrapura Palace

Istana Asserayah Hasyimiah was completed in 1889 for Sultan Syarif Hasyim of Siak Sri Indrapura, a Malay sultanate that controlled the Siak river trade in Riau, and it was built by a German architect in a mixture of European, Malay and Moorish forms - a white two-storey block with arcades, coloured tiles and a tower, filled with furniture, mirrors and glassware imported from Europe. The object visitors are shown is a Komet, a large German disc-playing music box of which very few survive anywhere, still in working order and played on request. The sultanate ended in 1945, and the palace is now a museum. The town around the palace is quiet, with the sultan's mosque, a tomb complex and the Siak river bridge.

History

The palace was built in 1889 by the 11th sultan, Syarif Hasyim Abdul Jalil Syarifuddin, who had travelled in the Netherlands and Germany beforehand and brought some of its furniture from Europe. Legend says a white dragon appeared on the Siak river while the sultan and his dignitaries were discussing the project, and he made it the royal emblem (Wikipedia, Siak Sri Indrapura Palace).

The main sights

• An 1889 European-built palace - white arcaded block for a Malay sultanate.
• A working Komet music box - a rare German disc player, still played on request.
• Imported furnishing - European mirrors, glass and furniture in the rooms.
• The royal mosque and tombs - the rest of the sultanate precinct in the town.

When to go

All year. Half a day.

What to expect

It is a modest museum and two hours covers it. The road from Pekanbaru takes several hours. Captions are limited in English. The town has few facilities.

Nearby

Pekanbaru is south-west; the Siak river runs to the Malacca Strait.

Key facts