Balai Nobat, Alor Setar (2 August, 2015)
Balai Nobat (GPS: 6.12099, 100.3666) is a ceremonial tower in Alor Setar used to house instruments for playing
nobat, the dirge for royal ceremonies. Among the instruments are the
serunai, a wind instrument resembling the clarinet; the
nafiri, a type of long trumpet;
gendang, a drum in the form of a hollow cylinder with parchment stretched over its open sides; and the
gong.
The original Balai Nobat was built during the reign of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Mukarram Shah, who reigned from 1854 to 1879. It had five floors and was constructed of stone and metal. During the renovation in 1906, it was reduced to three storeys. The Balai Nobat is topped with an Islamic-style dome.
The present Balai Nobat is the third structure of its kind, built during the reign of
Sultan Abdul Hamid, having been reconstructed twice before.
Balai Nobat, Alor Setar (2 August, 2015)
How to go to Balai Nobat
Balai Nobat is located along Jalan Pekan Melayu, just a short distance from
Balai Besar, and across the road from
Bangunan Jam Besar, the Clock Tower in the middle of the city of Alor Star.
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