[text: `Iolani Palace] A Brief History `Iolani Palace was the official residence of King Kalakaua from 1882 until his death in 1891 and of his sister and successor, Queen Lili`uokalani, until the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893. The cornerstone of the present Palace was laid on the last day of 1879, close to the site of an earlier palace which had to be demolished due to the ravages of termites. The new building was completed and furnished by 1882, at a cost to the Kingdom of Hawai`i of just under $360,000. Three different architects were employed during the construction period, achieving what the contemporary newspapers called an "American Composite" or "American Florentine" style. The 140 by 100 foot building consists of a main floor, which was used for formal functions; a second floor devoted to the living quarters of the royal family; a basement with kitchens, storerooms and offices for the household staff; and a spacious attic, principally an air space to keep the lower rooms cool. The coronation of King Kalakaua and his consort, Queen Kapi`olani, was held at the Palace in 1883 and Kalakaua also celebrated his fiftieth birthday jubilee there with lavish entertainment. A less happy event at `Iolani Palace was the political turmoil which led to the end of the Hawaiian monarchy in January of 1893. From 1893 to 1968, `Iolani Palace was used as the capitol of the Republic, the Territory, and finally the State of Hawai`i. When the new state capitol was completed in 1969, the Palace was vacated and restoration begun. Under the authority of the State of Hawai`i and with State and private funding, The Friends of `Iolani Palace continue the restoration and direct museum operations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A wide hall runs the entire width of the Palace, dominated by the staircase leading to the family apartments above. Portraits of ten Hawaiian kings and queens line the walls above niches where valuable vases and statuary are displayed. The Throne Room, decorated in maroon and gold, was the scene of royal audiences, balls and receptions. The trial of Queen Lili`uokalani was also held here in 1895, when she was accused by the Republic of Hawai`i of knowledge of a rebellion mounted by her supporters in an effort to restore the monarchy. Across the hall is the Blue Room where informal audiences and small receptions took place. A huge portrait of King Louis Philippe of France, presented to King Kamehameha III by the French government in 1848, hangs in this room, a symbol of French interest in the Hawaiian Islands. The matching portraits of King Kalakaua and Queen Lili`uokalani were painted by noted American portraitist William Cogswell. Separated from the Blue Room by beautifully carved sliding doors is the State Dining Room. Portraits of German, French, Russian and British rulers and leaders hang on its walls. Beneath them are three massive sideboards which, like many of the furnishings in the Palace, were especially made in Boston, Massachusetts by the A.H. Davenport Company. While the Palace served as the Territorial and State capitol the Throne Room was used by the House of Representatives and the State Dining Room was the Senate Chamber. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The stairway, gracefully curved as it approaches the level of the second floor, is hand carved of Hawaiian woods. The upper hall was used as a private dining room and parlor but also provided ample space for the occasionally display of precious feather cloaks, kahili, rare calabashes and other Hawaiian artifacts. The `Ewa side of second floor contained the King's suite. King Kalakaua's bedroom contained gothic-style furniture with light blue curtains and upholstery. A large table and high-backed Elizabethan-style chairs fill the adjoining room, the King's Library. One of Honolulu's earliest telephones is mounted on the wall of this room. At the front of the building is the Gold, or Music, Room, a gathering place for the royal family. The rooms on the Waikiki side belonged to the ladies. For her bedroom, Queen Kapi`olani chose mahogany furniture and red curtains and upholstery. The other two rooms were for guests. In 1895, Queen Lili`uokalani was imprisoned in the front room for eight months following her trial by the Republic of Hawai`i. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The land surrounding `Iolani Palace has always had special significance for the Hawaiian people. A Hawaiian temple site was once located in the area. In 1845, King Kamehameha III moved his court from Lahaina to Honolulu, into the house that Governor Kekuanao`a had originally built for his daughter, Princess Victoria Kamamalu. In 1876, that building was demolished and the present `Iolani Palace was erected in the same area. The grounds were enclosed by an eight foot high coral block wall with wooden gates. This wall remained until after the Wilcox Rebellion in 1889, when it was lowered to 3'6". In 1891, it was topped with the present iron fence which was painted green with gold tips on the pickets. There are four gates, each with a distinctive name and purpose: Kauikeaouli for state ceremonies; Kina`u for tradesmen, Hakaleleponi for retainers, and Likelike for private access by royalty. The Coronation Pavilion, now located in the corner of the grounds nearest King and Richards Streets, was built for the February 12, 1883 coronation of King Kalakaua and Queen Kapi`olani. Originally erected directly in front of the King Street steps of the Palace, the Pavilion was later moved to its present location. The Royal Hawaiian Band regularly gives concerts near the Coronation Pavilion, which has also been used for the inauguration of the Governors of the State of Hawai`i. A fenced-in mound of grass in the makai-Diamond Head quadrant of the grounds marks the site of the former Royal Tomb. In 1865, a new Royal Mausoleum was completed in Nu`uanu Valley and the remains of Royalty were moved to their new resting place in a solemn torchlight procession. As some accounts state that the bones of certain chiefs remained at the tomb site, King Kalakaua, out of respect for this hallowed place, raised a mound over it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A note about punctuation: Written Hawaiian uses two diacritical markings as pronunciation guides: the `okina (glottal stop) and the kahako (macron). Web browsers are currently unable to reproduce these markings without the use of specialized fonts. This web site uses the ASCII grave symbol to represent the `okina, but we have not found a satisfactory means of representing the kahako. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Upcoming Events [Image] The Palace Shop Membership Information [Image] Location [Image] Links Return to THE FRIENDS OF `IOLANI PALACE home page