While there are countless castles scattered throughout the United States, there is only one royal palace on American soil – and that is Hawaii’s own Iolani Palace, a place of pure magic and beauty nestled in Honolulu’s capital district. The breathtaking Iolani Palace tells a fascinating story of Hawaii’s history and has been the home to a royal family, executive building for a new republic, prison to an overthrown queen, capitol building for a territory, martial law headquarters, a treasure to Hawaii’s first governor, and now a cultural icon, museum, and National Historic Landmark.
Unfortunately, we can’t always visit this stunning slice of history, which is where this epic virtual tour comes in handy.
The original palace was used mainly meant to receive foreign dignitaries, with many monarchs choosing to sleep in private homes. That is until King Kalakaua commissioned the current Iolani Palace to be constructed.
The modern Iolani Palace was constructed for a small fortune at the time — $340,000 — between 1879 and 1882, meaning the modern palace was only used for a decade before the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893.
Outfitted with electricity, telephones, and indoor plumbing, the palace surpassed the White House in terms of technology and innovation.
During World War II, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii entered into a period of martial law, and the palace became a military headquarters.
Later, after Hawaii became an American state, the first Governor, John Burns, moved the state offices to a new location, and started the massive renovation project — which cost approximately $7.5 million.
When the monarchy was overthrown, the new government moved into the palace and renamed it the Executive Building of the Republic of Hawaii. At this time, Queen Liliuokalani was held prisoner in her own home, and half of the palace’s furnishings were sold at auction.
Luckily, many of the original furnishings have been restored to the palace from private owners across the world.
Iolani Palace was opened to the public as a museum in 1978, and in addition to guided tours and self-led audio tours available, the palace can also be experienced virtually from anywhere in the world.
Visitors can roam through the building beyond the stanchions, climb the majestic koa staircase, and look at fascinating artifacts on display without ever leaving their couch. This virtual tour will transport you back in time as you learn all about how Hawaii’s last reigning monarchs once lived.
So, what are you waiting for? You don't even need to put on pants to enjoy this history lesson!
Have you visited this magnificent piece of Hawaiian history? As of publication, Iolani Palace and its grounds are temporarily closed through April 30, 2020. For more information about Iolani Palace, including virtual and in-person tours, check out the palace’s website.
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