Kuala Kangsar-The Royal Town(瓜拉江沙)

From Ipoh to Kuala Kangsar


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Kuala Kangsar(瓜拉江沙), the royal town of Perak state(霹靂州皇城), Malaysia. It is located at the downstream of Kangsar River, where it flows into Perak River. It is the main town in the Kuala Kangsar district. It was the state capital until discovery of tin, the capital moved to Taiping and later to Ipoh. But the royal residence still remain at Kuala Kangsar. It was the administration seat of the first Peninsular Malaya British Resident, James WW Birch, from 1874 to 1875 unti he was murdered on 2-11-1875.

The name of Kuala Kangsar was derived from Malay words, "Kuala kurang Sa", which literally means 100 minus one, or 99th tributary to flow into Perak River. Sultan Yusuf Sharifuddin Mudzaffar Shah of Perak who ruled from 1877 to 1887, built his palace at the river bank. The Istana Sri Sayong. The palace not only faced the threat of invasion , also the natural threat of flooding by seasonal monsoon rain. Afte the big flood in 1926, which nearly destroyed the palace, a new palace Istana Iskandariah was built on a knoll further up the river bank, Bukit Chandan.

For your information, Kuala Kangsar was also the first rubber tree in Malaya was planted. The person responsible was British botanist Henry Nicholas Ridley, who planted the rubber tree in 1877. Malaysia become the largest producer of rubber in the world. The first rubber tree still stand today at the place near Police Headquarter.

An all boy, all Malay college was established in 1905 as Malay residential school for the elite of the Malay community. It is called Malay College or Maktab Melayu. During Japanese occupation it was the administrative office for the Japanese army. Many political and corporate figures come from this college. They have a strong Old Boys Association.

The first Malaysian scout was established in Kuala Kangsar.

We missed other palaces(istana), in view of limited time, hope to visit another time.




















































Ubudiah Mosque, Perak royal mosque.Built in 1917 during the reign of 28th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Idris Murshidul'adzam Shah 1, the Masjid Ubudiah is located beside the Royal Mausoleum on Bukit Chandan. The mosque was designed by Arthur Benison Hubback, who also designed the Ipoh Raiway station and Kuala Lumpur railway station.
























































































Istana Ulu( or Istana Kota or Istana Hulu), built in 1903. Today it is used as Galeri Sultan Azlan Shah.It was used as ruler residence until 1954, then it was used as education department office, school, and girl school in 1970. The school moved out and it was left unused until 2002 , when it is used as meseum.















The bridge to Jalan Istana













































The arch at Taman Rekreasi Kuala Kangsar















The clock tower at the town center(Jalan Taiping,Jalan Istana, Jalan Kangsar, Jalan Shahbandar and Jalan Daeng Selili















The main street of the town, Jalan Daeng Selili,Kuala Kangsar















Jalan Dato Maharaja Lela















This sundry shop is heritage piece, familiar in colonial days. Located at Jalan Dato Maharaja Lela















Jalan Shahbandar















At the corner of Jalan Nakhoda/Jalan Shahbandar















Jalan Nakhoda















Jalan Nokhoda















View of River Kangsar





























The view of the Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah bridge at the far end




































































































View of Perak River


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瓜拉江沙（Kuala Kangsar）有“皇城”之称的江沙，是霹靂州皇城的所在地。皇城中的乌布地亚回教堂建立在霹雳河旁的皇家山上。建於1917年的皇家回教堂（Ubudiah Mosque），被喻为州内最美丽的回教堂。其金黄色的圆顶和巍峨耸立的尖塔，是一处最令教徒们感到骄傲的朝圣地。这座回教堂最早是由霹雳州第 28 任苏丹 SULTAN IDRIS MURSHIDUL ADZAM SHAHI 所建，但是后来数度被迫中断建筑工程。第一次世界大战时，其意大利进口的大理石，两次遭受大象的破坏。 UBUDIAH 回教堂于 1917 年，正式开幕。

江沙以盛產橡胶闻名，当年从非洲移植到马来西亚的三棵橡胶树，就是在此开枝散叶的。这里，迄今已经有百余年的历史，被誉为“马来西亚第一橡胶树”。
(source: extract from wikiperak)