Sultan Abdul Samad Building

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building is a government structure in Kuala Lumpur on Jalan Raja, distinguished by its red brick facade and a clock tower that reaches 40 meters (131 feet) in height. The front displays Islamic arches and copper domes that span several floors and define the streetscape in the heart of the capital.

The British colonial administration commissioned architect Arthur Charles Alfred Norman to design the structure, which was finished in 1897. In 1957, the independence ceremony took place here when the British flag was lowered and the new national flag was raised for the first time.

The building carries the name of Sultan Abdul Samad, who ruled Selangor from 1857 to 1898 and supported the territory's modernization during his reign. Today it houses a government ministry while its domes and arches reflect Islamic design principles that shaped many official buildings across the Malay Peninsula in the late 19th century.

The structure stands opposite Independence Square and the Royal Selangor Club, allowing visitors to combine several nearby sites in a single walk. A stroll along Jalan Raja offers different views of the facade and the clock tower, especially in the early morning or late afternoon when the light is softer.

Construction required around 4 million bricks and roughly 850 cubic meters (30,000 cubic feet) of timber, illustrating the scale and technical challenge of the project in the late 19th century. The combination of Moorish elements with Victorian foundation techniques demonstrates how European construction methods adapted to tropical conditions and local aesthetic preferences.

Location: Kuala Lumpur

Inception: 1897

Architects: Arthur Charles Alfred Norman

Architectural style: Islamic architecture

GPS coordinates: 3.14861,101.69444

Latest update: December 17, 2025 08:16