Since established in the 13th century, the Kingdom of Kutai Kartanegara had moved its capital for three times, and so did its palace. However, there is no record for the first and second capital, Kutai Lama and Pemarangan. Only in the 18th century did a Norwegian, Carl Bock, explored the Mahakam inland. In 1879, he drew an illustration of the court of Sultan A.M. Sulaiman palace. The palace was pictured as made of ulin wood with modest shape.
In 1936, the old palace was demolished and replaced by a stronger concrete building. For a time, though, Sultan Parikesit and his family stayed in the old palace. The contractor for the new palace was HBM (Hollandsche Beton Maatschappij) with architect Estourgie. Four years later, the palace was ready, but Sultan and his family moved there in 1938.
In 1936, the old palace was demolished and replaced by a stronger concrete building. For a time, though, Sultan Parikesit and his family stayed in the old palace. The contractor for the new palace was HBM (Hollandsche Beton Maatschappij) with architect Estourgie. Four years later, the palace was ready, but Sultan and his family moved there in 1938.
After the Kingdom of Kutai government was ended in 1960, the new palace, 2.270 m2 total, Sultan resided there until 1970. In 25 November 1971, Sultan Sulaiman transferred his palace to the government of East Kalimantan, whom in turn transferred it to the Education and Culture Agency. Since then, the palace had been a museum named Mulawarman Museum.
The front part of the museum is guarded by Lembuswana sculpture, the royal emblem. Mulawarman Museum presents cultural heritage of the Kingdom of Kutai, such as the throne, sculptures, jewels, war equipment, royal bed, gamelan from Yogyakarta, ancient ceramics from China, and so on. Many of the collections were wrapped in yellow—colour related to royalty in many parts of the Malay culture: the throne and bed were yellow.
Curiously: Yupa epigraphy, a replica of the original Yupa in National Museum, Jakarta. Yupa is an epigraphy that was found in Brubus Hill, Muara Kaman district. Written in Pallawa scripts and Sanskrit language, this epigraphy is the first written evidence of Indonesian history.
In the palace complex too lied a cemetery for the kings and their family. Many of deceased’s Jirat, or tombstone, were made of besi wood which is a durable wood and decorated with Arabic scripts. Some of the sultan rest here are Sultan Maslihuddin, Sultan Salehuddin, Sultan Sulaiman, and Sultan Parikesit. It is only Sultan Alimuddin that had been buried outside, at his personal property in Gunung Gandek, Tenggarong.
The palace these days
In 22 September 2001, the crown prince H. Aji Pangeran Praboe Anum Surya Adiningarat was enthroned as the Sultan of Kutai Kartanegara with title Sultan H.A.M. Salehuddin II. The re-establishing of the kingdom was an effort to preserve cultural heritage of the the Kutai kingdom as the oldest kingdom in Indonesia.
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