Historical buildings in Sarawak

Sarawak Steamship Building

1. Sarawak Steamship Building

Built in 1930, this was previously the office and warehouse of the Sarawak Steamship Company. It is restored and houses a restaurant, fast food outlet and a convenience store. 

Square Tower

2. Square Tower

Built in 1879 as a detention camp for prisoners, later was converted into a fortress and then a dance hall. Today it is a multimedia information center and video theater providing information on Sarawak's tourist attractions.

General Post Office

3. General Post Office

This 1931 building stands out majestically with its imposing neo-classical style and impressive Corinthian columns. In contrast to its ornate facade with semi-circular arches, ornamental columns capitals and friezes, the back of the building is plain and unadorned. Deep parapet walls of plain design hide the pitched root. A colonnaded portico serves as a corridor in front of the building. This will soon be converted into the Sarawak Art Museum. 

Round Tower

4. Round Tower

Constructed in 1886, the building was meant to serve as a fort in an emergency. Instead it became the Dispensary and was then used by the Labour Department until 1980. It now houses a section of the Judiciary department. The Round Tower was strategically located to provide an excellent view of the town.

Pavilion

5. the Pavilion

Originally used as the medical headquarter, was one of the first public buildings of more than 2 stories high. Built with concrete frames and supported by bakau (mangrove timber) piling, it also had a concrete flat roof where occupants used to lounge and watch the setting sun, as fondly recalled through numerous writings of that era.  The building had been conserved and is currently used by the Museum Department as their Textile Museum. 

Tua Pek Kong Temple

6. Tua Pek Kong Temple

This temple was believed to have been built by the Chinese migrants from Kalimantan, Indonesia. This temple overlooked the mouth of the Kuching stream which ran between the temple and the Old Chinese Court (present Chinese History Museum), to the Sarawak River. Numerous additions and renovation works had been done over the original structure. The dominant dragon frieze was added to the retaining wall in the early 1980s.

Fort Magherita

7. Fort Magherita

Across the Main Bazaar, situated across the Sarawak River, the fort was named after Ranee Margaret, the wife of Charles Brooke.  Strategically perched on top of a hill, with vantage points overlooking Kuching and the river, it was the ideal sentry point for the settlement. 

8. Kuching Waterfront

Kuching Waterfront

Undergone several transformations since 9th century, from a small settlement of modest ‘atap’ buildings, to a busy port with warehouses and wharves, and to the landscape riverside walk it is today. During the days of the Rajahs and the British colonials, boats would berth along the Sarawak River waterfront, lined with godowns, custom offices and markets. Travelers and cargo alike would embark and disembark at the wharves, making the waterfront a hive of activity during its glory days. 

retrieve from:
http://www.isarawak.com.my/kuching/ts2.html
http://blog.sarawaktourism.com/2012/09/explore-kuching-heritage-in-2-hours.html

Brief history of SARAWAK

Image of coat of arms of Sarawak

The history of modern Sarawak is closely related to the adventures of an Englishman, James Brooke after his advent to Sarawak in 1839. With a boundary extending from Tanjung Datu to Batang Samarahan, Sarawak then was one of Brunei’s territories and was ruled by its Governor, Pengiran Mahkota. Politically, the country was in a state of turmoil with the natives constantly in rebellion against Brunie’s authority. To restore order, the Raja Muda of Brunei was sent but failed in his mission until Brooke returned the following year and offered his assistance. As a reward for his success in pacifying the revolts, Brooke was installed as first Rajah if Sarawak in 1841. Thus began the reign of the White Rajahs under the the Brooke family which was to last more than a century.

During the first few decades of his first rule, Brooke’s hold over the century was greatly challenged not only by problems like piracy, but also by the armed resistance by his subjects, particularly the natives. Some measure of law and order was achieved and administrative changes were introduced. By 1861, Sarawak has been further enlarged with the Sultan’s cession of all the rivers and lands from Sadong River to Kidurong Point. By 1864, it has been recognized as an independent State by both the United States and Britain. Further cession of territory occurred in 1868 with the reign of the second Rajah, Charles Brooke, so that by 1885 Sarawak’s frontier extended to the valley of the Trusan River. In 1890, the Limbang region was added and in 1905, the Lawas River area was purchased from the British North Borneo Company.

Foreign protection was sought as early as the reign if the first Rajah to ensure Sarawak’s political and economic survival and independence but it was only in 1880 that Sarawak was accorded British protection. With the decline in piracy and in a situation of relative political stability economic development gained momentum, This continued during the reign of the third Rajah, Charles Vyner Brooke, who succeeded Charles Brooke in 1917.

In 1941, a new constitution was granted by the Rajah which paved the way for self-governance by the people. Among others, the constitution specified the composition of the Supreme Council and Council Negeri. Before the enactment could be effected, however, the Japanese invaded and occupied Borneo. When Sarawak was liberated in 1946, the third Rajah declared his intention to cede Sarawak to Great Britain, a decision which was opposed by many especially the natives who formed what was known as the Anti-Cession Movement. However, the Council Negeri voted 19 to 16 in favour of cession and Sarawak became a British Crown Colony on July the 1st, 1946. Dissatisfaction mounted, resulting in mass resignation of the of 388 Malay civil servants and the assassination of the Second British Governor of the colony of Sarawak in 1949. The British reaction to this attack was swift and the protest movement virtually died by 1950. A number of the anti-cessionists continued their involvement in politics and won for the State its "second independence" by supporting the formation of Malaysia mooted by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the then Chief Minister of Independent Malaya. In 1963, Sarawak achieved its independence within Malaysia.

retrived