In the morning, we had a lecture on the history of Hawaii, which provided a wonderful foundation for the visit in the afternoon to the Iolani Palace.
Entrance to the Iolani Palace, which is a living restoration and reflection of Hawaiian national identity. It is
recognized as the spiritual and physical multicultural epicenter of
Hawaii. It was built in 1882 by King Kalākaua and was the home of
Hawaii’s last reigning monarchs. It served as the official royal
residence and the residence of the Kingdom’s political and social life
until the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893.
Registered as a National Historic
Landmark since 1962 and the only official royal residence in the United
States, the Palace is one of the most recognizable buildings in Hawaii.
Meticulously restored to its former grandeur, Iolani Palace tells of a
time when their Majesties, King Kalākaua and his sister and successor,
Queen Liliʻuokalani walked the grand halls.
Banyan tree outside the palace.
We were given shoe coverings to wear to protect the floors and carpet.
Grand staircase to the second floor.
View out over one of the porches.
One of the queen's many formal dresses.
The state dining room.
The throne room with the queen's royal cape. Notice the two stanchions on either side of the throne. They are topped with an array of feathers. The king and queen disliked sitting on the thrones, preferring to stand while receiving guests. This was also where the trial of Queen Lili'olani occurred, and where she was found guilty and imprisoned in an upstairs room.
King Kalakaua's bedroom.
The king's library.
Imprisonment Room, where the queen was held for nearly eight months following her conviction. She was not allowed any visitors except for one lady companion.
In the gift shop, I found these wonderful examples of lauhala weaving.
Statue of King Kamehameha I near the Palace.
No comments:
Post a Comment