Four towers
Pink walls around a glass dome.
Maky (Alex Dunkel) — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Artvill — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jose Antonio — Public domain · Z thomas — CC BY-SA 4.0 · IrmaA2 — CC BY-SA 3.0
Andafiavaratra Palace is a four-towered stone building on Analamanga, the highest hill in Antananarivo, close to the royal palace. It was the residence of Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony, who governed the Kingdom of Madagascar in the late 19th century. Today it holds a museum of the kingdom's history, and you can see it from much of the capital. The British architect William Pool designed it in 1872 for a man who held office from 1864 to 1895. Before that, Queen Ranavalona I had built a similar wooden structure for her husband and prime minister, Rainiharo. After 1895 it served for a time as barracks during the French occupation, then after independence in 1960 as a court, an art school and a presidential palace. It was renovated after a fire on 11 September 1976. From outside it stands out with pink walls, white columns and grey-roofed towers around a glass dome. Inside are some 1,466 objects of historical importance to the kingdom, rescued when a fire partly destroyed the royal palace in 1995. From the nearby terraces the capital opens out with its hills and fields, a view worth the climb on its own. The palace lies about 300 m from the royal palace and 5.3 km from central Antananarivo in a straight line. The climb to the Upper Town is steep, so a licensed taxi is the easiest way up. Check museum hours, bring a jacket since the air is cooler on the hill and watch your belongings in crowded streets.
Pink walls around a glass dome.
Objects rescued from the 1995 fire.
Hills and fields from the terraces.
Analamanga hill, Upper Town, Antananarivo, Madagascar
Some 1,466 objects of the kingdom's history, rescued from the 1995 royal palace fire.
Yes, they stand about 300 m apart on the same hill.
