Royal Selangor Club, Social club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Royal Selangor Club is a social club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, founded in 1884. It occupies a two-storey building with a bright orange-red roof and three triangular gables filled with black timber framing, and its ground floor is recessed behind dark columns to form a covered veranda.
The club was founded in 1884 by British colonial officials and initially occupied a small wooden building with an attap roof near the padang. After a fire destroyed the main section in 1970, the building was rebuilt in the same Mock Tudor style, and a new wing was added between 1978 and 1980.
Locals often call the club "The Spotted Dog," a nickname that appears in conversations and signs around the square. The long bar inside has traditionally been a spot where members gather to watch cricket and rugby matches on the field, keeping a ritual that dates back to the early days of the club.
The club faces the wide lawn of Merdeka Square, and its veranda and facade are easy to see from the public paths around the square. Visitors can walk past at any time, but the interior is reserved for members and their guests, so plan to admire it from outside.
The club's nickname, "The Spotted Dog," may come from two Dalmatians that belonged to the wife of a founding member and guarded the entrance. Another story says the first emblem was a spotted leopard so badly drawn that people mistook it for a dog.
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