subject: Visit The Mulee Aage Palace - Royal Influence [print this page] Located in Medhuziyaaraimagu in Male, among some of the Maldives most historic buildings, Mulee Aage Palace was constructed by sultan Shamsuddeen III for his son, on the site of a simple 18th century ancestral house he inherited in 1903. Designed as a bungalow, in a style that was in fashion in neighbouring countries at the time, this striking building is the only one of its kind in the Maldives and even today stands out against the various architectural expressions in the capital.
After its transformation into an elegant dwelling in 1919, it was named Henreyru Ganduvaru and was the site of much fun and merry making after its young owner moved in. Unfortunately the sultan and his son were banished in 1936 and the building, although used sporadically by government departments, lay abandoned and neglected till 1954 when it became the presidential palace and received the name Mulee Aage or New House.
Two presidents of the Maldives lived here between 1954 and 1994. In 1994 the then president moved to another more modern presidential abode. Mulee Aage Palace came into prominence again when it became the presidential abode in 2009, however it fell vacant soon afterwards in 2012. In the interim period it served as the national museum, the supreme courts and the president's office. Although Mulee Aage was never used as a royal palace it is the closest to one there is in Male, as many of the buildings of the former royal palace have been demolished.
Setting Mulee Aage apart is its beautifully decorated blue and white painted exterior with elaborate mouldings, a veranda with arches and several beautifully carved hard wood embellishments such as carved doors and windows and some intricately worked interior finishes and high ceilings in wood. In 1986 the palace was refurbished without changing its key characteristics to improve its functionality.
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