The History of the Origin of Maimun Palace and Meriam Puntung and Putri Hijau in North SumatraThis palace is dominated by the color yellow, the color of majesty of the Malay kingdom. The construction of the palace was completed on August 25, 1888 AD, during the reign of
Sultan Makmun al-Rasyid Perkasa Alamsyah . Sultan Makmun is the eldest son
of Sultan Mahmud Perkasa Alam , the founder of the city of Medan.
1. History
Since 1946, this palace has been inhabited by the heirs
of the Deli Sultanate . At certain times, this palace often holds traditional Malay music performances. Usually, these performances are held to enliven wedding parties and other joyful events. In addition, twice a year, the Sultan of Deli usually holds a gathering event between the palace’s extended families. Every Friday night, the sultan’s family holds a customary
rawatib event (a kind of family wiridan).For visitors who come to the palace, they can still see the collections displayed in the meeting room, such as photos of the sultan’s family, old Dutch household furniture, and various types of weapons. Here, there is also a buntung cannon that has its own legend. Medan people call this cannon the
puntung cannon .
The story of this cannon butt is related to
Princess Hijau . It is said that in the Kingdom of Timur Raya, there lived a beautiful princess named Princess Hijau. She was called that because her body radiated green. She had two brothers, namely
Mambang Yasid and Mambang Khayali . One day, the King of Aceh came to propose to
Princess Hijau , however, this proposal was rejected by both of her brothers. The King of Aceh became angry, then attacked the Kingdom of Timur Raya. The King of Aceh managed to defeat Mambang Yasid. When the Acehnese army was about to enter the palace to kidnap Princess Hijau, suddenly a miracle happened,
Mambang Khayali suddenly turned into a cannon and shot blindly without stopping. Because he continued to shoot bullets at the Acehnese troops, this cannon broke in two. The front part was found in the Surbakti area, in the Karo highlands, near Kabanjahe. While the back part was thrown to Labuhan Deli, then moved to the courtyard of the Maimun Palace. Every day, this palace is open to the public, except when there is a special ceremony.
2. LocationThis palace is located on Brigadier General Katamso Street, Sukaraja sub-district, Medan Maimun district, Medan, North Sumatra
.
3. AreaThe palace area is approximately 2,772 m2, with a yard that covers 4 hectares. The length from front to back reaches 75.50 m. and the height of the building reaches 14.14 m. The palace building is two stories high, supported by wooden and stone pillars. Every afternoon, there are usually many children playing in the spacious palace yard.
4. ArchitectureThe architecture of the building is a blend of Moghul, Middle Eastern, Spanish, Indian, Dutch and Malay architectural features. The influence of Dutch architecture is evident in the shape of the doors and windows which are wide and tall. However, there are several doors that show Spanish influence. The influence of Islam is evident in the presence of arches (
arcades ) on the roof. The height of the arches ranges from 5 to 8 meters. This form of arch is very popular in the Middle East, India and Turkey.The palace building consists of three main rooms, namely: the main building, the right wing and the left wing. The main building is also called the Balairung with an area of 412 m2
, where the royal throne is located. The royal throne is used in certain events, such as the coronation of the king, or when receiving the prostrations of the palace family on
Islamic holy days . In this building there is also a large European-style crystal lamp. Inside the palace there are 30 rooms, with unique interior designs, a blend of art from various countries. From the outside, the palace facing east looks like the palace of the Moghul kings.
5. PlannerThere are several opinions about who actually designed this palace. Some sources say the designer was an Italian architect, but his name is not known for sure. Another source, namely a tour guide who worked at this palace, said that the architect was a Dutch Captain named
TH Van Erp .
6. RenovationThe palace seems poorly maintained, perhaps, this is due to the minimal funds owned by the sultan’s family. So far, the cost of maintenance has been highly dependent on donations from visitors who come. In order to look more beautiful, it should be renovated, of course with the help of all parties concerned with the fate of the nation’s cultural heritage.Maimun Palace has been named the most beautiful building in Medan City, North Sumatra. Located in the area of Jl. Brigjen Katamso, this magnificent palace was completed around 1888 and is a legacy of
Sultan Deli Makmun Al Rasyid Perkasa Alamsyah . The yellow strokes on this building are typical Malay colors.
Source: http://satupedang.blogspot.com/2015/02/sejarah-istana-maimun-dan-putri-hijau.html#ixzz6qGxGGFxw