An old courthouse
The first modern government building.
Anasaiman — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Qhairy — CC BY 4.0 · Marufish from Alor Setar, Malaysia — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Marufish from Alor Setar, Malaysia — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Marufish from Alor Setar, Malaysia — CC BY-SA 2.0
An art gallery in a handsome historic building on the royal square in central Alor Setar, begun in 1893 and completed in 1912 as the High Court, the first modern government building in the city. Many government offices later moved in, among them the British Adviser's office, before it became an art gallery in 1983 for the silver jubilee of Sultan Abdul Halim's reign. A local architect of the Kedah Public Works Department designed it, blending neoclassical style, with its colonnades and columns, and Sino-Portuguese arches and ornament, and the Kedah state crest crowns its entrance. Its galleries show paintings and sculpture by artists from Kedah and Malaysia, along with historic photographs, royal items and Arabic calligraphy. Entry is free, and it opens daily from nine to five, closing at Friday prayer time and on the two Eids. It shares the square with the Balai Besar, the Balai Nobat, the Zahir Mosque and the Kedah Royal Museum, so make it an air-conditioned stop on a walk around the royal square.
The first modern government building.
Paintings and sculpture.
Neoclassical and Sino-Portuguese.
Jalan Balai Besar, on the royal square in central Alor Setar
Balai BesarThe royal audience hall of the sultans of Kedah, at the heart of the historic sq2 minutes walk
Kedah Royal MuseumAn old royal palace known as Istana Pelamin, the wedding palace, completed in 172 minutes walk
Zahir MosqueKedah's state mosque and one of the oldest and most beautiful mosques in Malaysi2 minutes walk
Balai NobatAn elegant three-storey octagonal tower in yellow and white, crowned by a golden3 minutes walk
Alor Setar TowerA 165.5-metre telecommunications tower, the tallest structure in Kedah and the t8 minutes walkYes, entry is free; the gallery closes at Friday prayer time and on the two Eids.