The Astana, Official residence in Kuching, Malaysia

The Astana stands on the north bank of the Sarawak River, opposite the Kuching Waterfront. It began as three separate buildings linked by short, narrow passageways and has since been much renovated as the governor's residence. In the photograph, a two-storey block with small arched windows and shuttered rectangular windows faces a taller block with a castellated tower; a flat-topped pavilion with a pyramidal roof stands in front.

Charles Brooke, the second White Rajah of Sarawak, had this palace built in 1870 as a wedding gift for his wife Margaret Alice Lili de Windt. The structure marked a turning point in how the regional rulers established their residences and power bases.

The name is a local variation of 'istana', the Malay word for palace. Ranee Margaret described life at the residence in her memoir My Life in Sarawak, published in 1913. The palace forms part of the Kuching Heritage Trail, and its landscaped gardens can be reached by boat across the Sarawak River.

The interior of the palace is not open to visitors, but you can view the exterior and gardens from the water. A boat ride across the Sarawak River is the best way to see the front and grounds in full.

Charles Brooke is said to have grown betel nut in a small plantation behind the palace so he could offer fresh betel nut to visiting Dayak chiefs. The palace was originally three separate buildings linked by short, narrow passageways, and in 1883 a clock tower was built in front of it to commemorate Charles Brooke.