56-647: Aliʻiōlani Hale is a building located in downtown Honolulu , Hawaiʻi , currently used as the home of the Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court . It is the former seat of government of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi and the Republic of Hawaiʻi . Located in the building's courtyard is the famed gold-leaf statue of Kamehameha the Great . The Aliʻiōlani Hale was designed by Australian Thomas Rowe in an Italian Renaissance Revival as
112-696: A Downtown station near the Aloha Tower , and a Civic Center station in the Capitol District. These stations are planned to open in 2031. List of tallest buildings in Honolulu Iolani Palace The ʻIolani Palace ( Hawaiian : Hale Aliʻi ʻIolani ) was the royal residence of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi beginning with Kamehameha III under the Kamehameha Dynasty (1845) and ending with Queen Liliʻuokalani (1893) under
168-574: A chief who served as Governor of Oʻahu, also had his home, called Haliimaile , just west of Kekauluohi's home. Another chief, Keoni Ana , lived in Kīnaʻu Hale (which was later converted into the residence of the royal chamberlain), all members of the House of Kamehameha . Kekāuluohi and Kanaʻina's original home was similar to that of the other estates in the neighborhood consisting of small buildings used for different purposes. The sitting and sleeping area had
224-443: A folding door entrance of green painted wood under glass upper panels. The house had two rooms separated by a festooned tent door of chintz fabric and was carpeted with hand crafted makaloa mats . In the front was a lounge area opposite a sideboard and mirror. In the middle they placed a semi circle of armchairs with a center table where the couple would write. Four matching cabinet-bookshelves with glass doors were set in each corner of
280-518: A functional but neglected government building, the Palace fell into disrepair. After Hawaiʻi became a state, Governor John A. Burns began an effort to restore the palace in the 1960s. The first step was to move the former ʻIolani Barracks building from its original position northeast of the palace. It now serves as a visitors center for the palace. ʻIolani Palace was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 29, 1962 and added as site 66000293 to
336-519: A massive observation was held on the grounds of ʻIolani Palace to mark the 100th anniversary of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. A torchlight vigil was held at night, with the palace draped in black. On April 30, 2008, ʻIolani Palace was overtaken by a group of native Hawaiians who called themselves the Hawaiian Kingdom Government to protest what they view as illegitimate rule by
392-492: A plaque. According to tradition, Pohukaina was built on the site of a former cave. In July 1844, Kekūanaōʻa began building a large home at the site of the current palace as a gift to his daughter Victoria Kamāmalu . Instead, Kamehameha III purchased the estate and used the home as his royal residence after moving the capital of the kingdom to Honolulu from Lāhainā . It would become the Iolani Palace. As older aliʻi died,
448-407: Is free and the public can tour the exhibits from Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm. Group tours are offered by reservation. Downtown Honolulu Downtown Honolulu is the current historic, economic, and governmental center of Honolulu , the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii . It is bounded by Nuʻuanu Stream to the west, Ward Avenue to the east, Vineyard Boulevard to
504-526: Is the open-air Oʻahu Market . The area around Nuʻuanu Avenue has become an Arts District , thanks to the renovation of the Hawaiʻi Theatre . Buildings in this area include: Honolulu's waterfront area centers on Aloha Tower , which was once the tallest building in Hawaiʻi and where cruise ships would dock before the advent of air travel between Hawaiʻi and the U.S. Mainland. Recently, cruise ships between
560-635: The Kalākaua Dynasty , founded by her brother, King David Kalākaua . It is located in the capitol district of downtown Honolulu in the U.S. state of Hawaiʻi . It is now a National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places . After the monarchy was overthrown in 1893, the building was used as the capitol building for the Provisional Government , Republic , Territory , and State of Hawaiʻi until 1969. The palace
616-523: The National Register of Historic Places . Within walking distance are the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace , Hawaiʻi State Capitol , Hawaiʻi State Library , Honolulu Hale , ʻIolani Palace , Kawaiahaʻo Church , Territorial Building , and Washington Place . The King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center , located in Aliʻiōlani Hale, focuses on Hawaii's legal history and landmark court cases. Admission
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#1732852116094672-532: The National Register of Historic Places listings in Oahu on October 15, 1966. Government offices vacated the Palace in 1969 and moved to the newly constructed Hawaiʻi State Capitol building on the former barracks site. In preparation for restoration, the Junior League of Honolulu researched construction, furnishings, and palace lifestyle in nineteenth-century newspapers, photographs and archival manuscripts. Overseeing
728-479: The Paulet Affair of 1843 . Kamehameha IV build a separate house on the east side of the palace called Ihikapukalani (on the mauka side) and Kauluhinano (on the makai side). During Kamehameha V's reign Hale Aliʻi's name was changed to ʻIolani Palace , after his brother Kamehameha IV's given names (his full name was Alexander Liholiho Keawenui ʻIolani). It refers to the ʻIo (royal hawk). The Palace served as
784-463: The State of Hawaiʻi . During the government use of the palace, the second floor royal bedroom became the governor's office, while the legislature occupied the entire first floor. The representatives met in the former throne room and the senate in the former dining room. When Liliuokalani died in 1917, territorial governor Lucius E. Pinkham accorded her the honor of a state funeral in the throne room of
840-587: The Waterfront . The Capitol District, or Civic Center, contains most of the federal, state, and city governmental buildings and is centered on the Hawaiʻi State Capitol , ʻIolani Palace , and Honolulu Hale ( city hall ). It is roughly bounded by Richards Street on the west, Ward Avenue on the east, Vineyard Boulevard to the north, and Nimitz Highway to the south. Significant buildings in this area include: Centered on Bishop Street and Fort Street Mall ,
896-428: The 1940s, a new wing was added to the building to help alleviate the growing problem of overcrowding. The architects who designed the new wing tried to blend it in with the original building that dated back to the 1870s. Over the next many decades, most of the state judiciary functions moved out of Aliʻiōlani Hale to various other buildings around Honolulu (including the state district, family, and circuit courts). Today,
952-589: The Friends of ʻIolani Palace, a non-profit non-governmental organization. The birthdays of King Kalākaua (November 16) and Queen Kapiʻolani (December 28) are celebrated with ceremonies. ʻIolani Palace is one of the only places in Hawaiʻi where the flag of Hawaiʻi can officially fly alone without the American flag; the other three places are Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau Heiau , the Mauna ʻAla and Thomas Square . On January 17, 1993,
1008-452: The Hall of Records, but the name Archives of Hawaiʻi made it clear the documents included those from the kingdom. A new Kekāuluohi building provides digital access to some of the collections. In 1930 the interior of ʻIolani Palace was remodeled, and wood framing replaced by steel and reinforced concrete. The name ʻIolani Palace was officially restored in 1935. During World War II , it served as
1064-738: The Hawaiian Islands now dock at Honolulu Harbor. Buildings in this area include: The Honolulu Police Department operates the Alapai Police Headquarters and the Downtown Police Station in Downtown Honolulu. The United States Postal Service operates the Downtown Honolulu Post Office at 335 Merchant Street. The Skyline rail system is planning to connect Downtown Honolulu with a Chinatown station,
1120-559: The United States. Mahealani Kahau, "head of state" of the group, said they do not recognize Hawaiʻi as a U.S. state , but would keep the occupation of the palace peaceful. "The Hawaiian Kingdom Government is here and it doesn't plan to leave. This is a continuity of the Hawaiian Kingdom of 1892 to today," Kahau said. Friends of ʻIolani Palace released a statement stating: "We respect the freedom of Hawaiian groups to hold an opinion on
1176-648: The building houses the Hawaiʻi State Supreme Court and is the administrative center of the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. It also houses the Judiciary History Center, a museum featuring a multimedia presentation of Hawaiʻi's judiciary, a restored historic courtroom, and other exhibits dealing with Hawaiʻi's judicial history. The building also houses Hawaiʻi's largest law library. In December 2005, a capsule buried by Kamehameha V when he laid
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#17328521160941232-446: The building of a new palace inspired by these European grand palaces. Thus, he commissioned the construction of a new ʻIolani Palace, directly across the street from Aliʻiōlani Hale , to become the official palace of the Hawaiian monarchy. Three architects, Thomas J. Baker, Charles J. Wall, and Isaac Moore, contributed to the design; of these, Baker designed the structure, while Wall and Moore offered other details. The cornerstone
1288-441: The building was extensively renovated to help solve these space problems. The entire interior of the building was gutted and rebuilt, giving the building's interior a completely new floorplan. Since the building was originally designed to be a palace, its floorplan was not adequate for its later usage as a judicial building. The new layout of the building fixed this problem. The size of the territorial government continued to grow. In
1344-484: The building's extravagant design, suggesting that the building be converted into a palace as originally designed. Until 1893, the building held most of the executive departments of the Hawaiian government as well as the Hawaiian legislature and courts. It was from Aliʻiōlani Hale in 1893 that the Committee of Safety , under the leadership of Lorrin A. Thurston , deposed Queen Liliʻuokalani by public proclamation. After
1400-464: The center rising to 76 feet (23 m). On February 12, 1883, a formal European-style coronation ceremony was held, even though Kalākaua had reigned for nine years. The coronation pavilion officially known as Keliiponi Hale was later moved to the southwest corner of the grounds and converted to a bandstand for the Royal Hawaiian Band . ʻIolani Palace features architecture seen nowhere else in
1456-423: The central business district is roughly bounded by Nuʻuanu Avenue, Nimitz Highway, Richards Street, and Vineyard Boulevard. This area contains most of the headquarters buildings of Hawaiʻi-based companies and most of the skyscrapers. Buildings in this area include: Located between Nuʻuanu Stream and Nuʻuanu Avenue, Chinatown at one time was the center of Chinese cultural contact on the island. Central to this area
1512-597: The cornerstone was located, at the direction of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command , by Professor Larry Connors of the University of Denver using ground penetrating radar. The capsule contained photos of royal families and the constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Hawaiian postage stamps, Hawaiian and foreign coinage, newspapers, a calendar and books. The capsule was located to protect it during future renovations, and not retrieved due to concerns of damaging
1568-440: The establishment of the Hawaiian provisional government in 1893 and the Republic of Hawaiʻi in 1894, some of the offices in Aliʻiōlani Hale were moved to ʻIolani Palace , including the Hawaiian legislature. As a result, Aliʻiolani Hale became primarily a judicial building. The growing size of Hawaiʻi's government continued to be a problem for the building, especially after Hawaiʻi became a United States territory in 1900. In 1911,
1624-424: The first state capitol building. The area was culturally significant as a seat of government for many reasons including the palaces size, orientation and other factors of religious importance and bridged the ancient history of Hawaiʻi with the new 19th century monarchy. By the time David Kalākaua assumed the throne, the original ʻIolani Palace was in poor condition, suffering from ground termite damage. He ordered
1680-472: The floor space of the present palace. Mataio Kekūanaōʻa, who was long-time Royal Governor of Oʻahu and husband of Kīnaʻu, the daughter of Kamehameha I. He built the large home for his daughter Princess Victoria Kamāmalu who, from birth, was expected to rule in some capacity. It was purchased by King Kamehameha III from Kamāmalu (the King's niece) when he moved his capital from Lahaina to Honolulu in 1845. It
1736-404: The growing Hawaiian government. Thus, when Kamehameha V ordered construction of Aliʻiōlani Hale, he commissioned it as a government office building instead of a palace. Kamehameha V laid the cornerstone for the building on February 19, 1872. He died before the building was completed, and it was dedicated in 1874 by one of his successors, King David Kalākaua . At the time, Hawaiian media criticized
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1792-548: The kingdom's first royal residence called the Brick Palace . Lahaina remained the seat of government under the first three Kamehameha monarchs until 1845 when Kamehameha III moved the royal court. Lahaina had been the seat of government, where the royal courts of many chiefs of Maui had been located, including Kahekili II until 1794. In 1845 Kamehameha III moved the Royal Court and capitol to Honolulu. Hale Ali'i would become
1848-506: The lands were passed down and concentrated into fewer hands. Kekāuluohi's lands were passed down to her from the Kamehameha family. When she died, she left her accumulated lands and wealth to her son, not her husband Kanaʻina however, Lunalilo predeceased his father. The home built by Kekūanaōʻa was a wood and stone building called Hale Aliʻi meaning (House of the Chiefs). It had only one-third
1904-450: The monarchy by the Committee of Safety in 1893, troops of the newly formed Provisional Government of Hawaiʻi took control of ʻIolani Palace. After a few months government offices moved in and it was renamed the "Executive Building" for the Republic of Hawaiʻi . Government officials carefully inventoried its contents and sold at public auctions whatever furniture or furnishings were not suitable for government operations. Queen Liliʻuokalani
1960-563: The north, and Honolulu Harbor to the south. Both modern and historic buildings and complexes are located in the area, with many of the latter declared National Historic Landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places . Downtown Honolulu can be subdivided into four neighborhoods, each with its own central focus and mix of buildings. These areas are the Capitol District , the Central Business District , Chinatown , and
2016-533: The official residence of the monarch during the reigns of Kamehameha III, Kamehameha IV, Kamehameha V , Lunalilo , and the first part of Kalākaua's reign. The original structure was very simple in design and was more of a stately home than a palace, but at the time, it was the grandest house in town. The palace was largely meant for receiving foreign dignitaries and state functions with the monarch preferring to sleep in private homes. Kamehameha I formed his official government at Lahaina, Maui in 1802, where he built
2072-404: The old palace to be razed. Kalākaua was the first monarch to travel around the world and like Kamehameha V, he dreamed of a royal palace befitting the monarch of a modern state. While visiting Europe, Kalākaua took note of the customs and traditions practiced by his contemporaries where he decided that incorporating their elements would help legitimize his kingdom through their eyes; this included
2128-417: The overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, we believe that blocking public access to Iolani Palace is wrong and certainly detrimental to our mission to share the Palace and its history with our residents, our keiki (children), and our visitors." An exterior view of the Palace was frequently shown on the 1968 TV show Hawaii Five-O , suggesting it hosted the offices of the fictional state police unit featured on
2184-413: The palace. After annexation, there was a fear that all records would be moved to the mainland. Since an 1847 effort by Robert Crichton Wyllie , a set of archives had been kept of all kingdom records. A new fireproof building was built in 1906 on the grounds just to the southeast of the palace. It included a vault 30 feet (9.1 m) by 40 feet (12 m) with steel shelves. At first it was to be called
2240-458: The private library and bedrooms of the Hawaiian monarchs. It served as the official residence of the Hawaiian monarch until the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi . Therein not only Liliʻuokalani, but, Queen Kapiʻolani and other royal retainers were evicted from the palace after the overthrow. The palace is the only official state residence of royalty on U.S. soil. Upon the overthrow of
2296-475: The public in 1978 after structural restoration of the building was completed. In the basement is a photographic display of the Palace, orders and decorations given by the monarchs, and an exhibit outlining restoration efforts. The grounds of ʻIolani Palace are managed by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Land and Natural Resources but the palace building itself is managed as a historical house museum by
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2352-556: The restoration was The Friends of ʻIolani Palace, founded by Liliʻuokalani Kawānanakoa Morris , grand-niece of Queen Kapiʻolani. Two wooden additions were removed and the interior was restored based on original plans. Through the efforts of acquisitions researchers and professional museum staff, and donations of individuals, many original Palace objects have been returned. Government grants and private donations funded reproduction of original fabrics and finishes to restore Palace rooms to their monarchy era appearance. ʻIolani Palace opened to
2408-485: The room with silk scarves hanging from each. In his book, A visit to the South Seas, in the U.S. Ship Vincennes: during the years 1829 and 1830 , Charles Samuel Stewart describes the area and homes in detail. Next to Kekāuluohi and Kanaʻina's home was an old estate that had been demolished called Hanailoia . According to oral history, Hanailoia was the former site of a destroyed heiau called Kaʻahaimauli. Pohukaina
2464-561: The royal palace for King Kamehameha V . In the Hawaiian language , Aliʻiōlani Hale means "House of Heavenly Kings". The name "Aliʻiōlani" was also one of the given names of Kamehameha V. Although the building was designed to be a palace, Kamehameha V realized that the Hawaiian government desperately needed a government building. At that time, the several buildings in Honolulu used by the government were very small and cramped, clearly inadequate for
2520-478: The seat of government and would remain so through the subsequent Kamehameha monarchs. After 1874, the main seat of government was transferred to the new central government building left by Kamehameha V. After the overthrow the provisional government would use the Iolani Palace as the seat of government. While a territory, the palace was called: The Capitol of the Territorial Government. It would also serve as
2576-496: The site including: Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku , Kalaniʻōpuʻu , Chiefess Kapiʻolani , and Haʻalilio . A lead coffin belonging to Kekupuohi (died 1836), one of the wives of Kamehameha I, was uncovered in 1931. After being overgrown for many years, the Hawaiian Historical Society passed a resolution in 1930 requesting Governor Lawrence Judd to memorialize the site with the construction of a metal fence enclosure and
2632-527: The structure of the building itself. Copper thieves stripped several copper downspouts from the building in 2006. In the 2010 version of CBS ' Hawaii Five-0 TV series, Aliʻiōlani Hale is depicted as the Iolani Palace ; headquarters for the Five-0 task force with exterior shots of the building being used frequently throughout the series. Aliʻiōlani Hale is one of many buildings in downtown Honolulu listed on
2688-404: The temporary headquarters for the military governor in charge of martial law in the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian soldiers of Japanese ancestry who were accepted for service in the U.S. Army became the core of the 442nd Infantry Regiment . Before leaving Hawaiʻi for training on the mainland, they were sworn in during a mass ceremony on the grounds of the Palace. Through more than 70 years as
2744-646: The treaty did not have popular support. On August 12, 1898, U.S. troops from the USS ; Philadelphia came ashore and raised the Flag of the United States at the palace to mark the annexation by the Newlands Resolution . The Queen and other Hawaiian nobles did not attend, staying at Washington Place instead. The building served as the capitol of the Territory of Hawaiʻi , the military headquarters during World War II, and
2800-439: The world. This unique style is known as American Florentine . On the first floor a grand hall faces a staircase of koa wood. Ornamental plaster decorates the interior. The throne room (southeast corner), the blue meeting room, and the dining room adjoin the hall. The blue room included a large 1848 portrait of King Louis Philippe of France and a koa wood piano where Liliʻuokalani played her compositions for guests. Upstairs are
2856-440: Was a sacred burial site for the aliʻi (ruling class). Years after 1825, the first Western-style royal tomb was constructed for the bodies of King Kamehameha II and his queen Kamāmalu . They were buried on August 23, 1825. The design was heavily influenced by the tombs at Westminster Abbey during Kamehameha II's trip to London. The mausoleum was a small house made of coral blocks with a thatched roof. It had no windows, and it
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#17328521160942912-411: Was constructed as a traditional aliʻi residence with only ceremonial spaces, no sleeping rooms. It just had a throne room, a reception room, and a state dining room, with other houses around for sleeping and for retainers. Kamehameha III slept in a cooler grass hut around the palace. He called his home Hoʻihoʻikea , a separate building flanking the palace on the west side in honor of his restoration after
2968-641: Was imprisoned for nine months in a small room on the upper floor after the second of the Wilcox rebellions in 1895. The quilt she made is still there, in a room now called the Imprisonment Room or Quilt Room. The trial was held in the former throne room. When a proposed annexation treaty up for ratification, the Hawaiian Patriotic League held a protest rally at the palace on September 6, 1897. They gathered petition signatures in an effort to demonstrate
3024-579: Was laid December 31, 1879 during the administration of Minister of the Interior Samuel Gardner Wilder . It was built of brick with concrete facing. The building was completed in November 1882 and cost over $ 340,000 — a vast fortune at the time ($ 10,734,621 in 2023 dollars ). It measures about 140 feet (43 m) by 100 feet (30 m), and rises two stories over a raised basement to 54 feet (16 m) high. It has four corner towers and two in
3080-635: Was restored and opened to the public as a museum in 1978. ʻIolani Palace is the only royal palace on US soil. In the early 19th century, the site of ʻIolani Palace was near an ancient burial site known as Pohukaina. It is believed to be the name of a chief (sometimes spelled Pahukaina) who according to legend chose a cave in Kanehoalani in the Koʻolau Range for his resting place. The land belonged to Kekauluohi , who later served as Kuhina Nui . She lived there with her husband Charles Kanaina . Kekūanaōʻa ,
3136-604: Was the duty of two chiefs to guard the iron-locked koa door day and night. No one was allowed to enter the vault except for burials or Memorial Day, a Hawaiian holiday celebrated on December 30. Over time, as more bodies were added, the small vault became crowded, so other chiefs and retainers were buried in unmarked graves nearby. In 1865 a selected eighteen coffins were removed to the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaiʻi , called Mauna ʻAla, in Nuʻuanu Valley . But many chiefs remain on
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