Istana Melawati, Royal palace in Putrajaya, Malaysia

Istana Melawati stands in Precinct 1, Putrajaya, on the highest point of the Federal Territory, about 125 m above sea level. The cream-walled palace has a steeply pitched, multi-sectioned terracotta roof; three tall towers with tiered, pyramid-shaped roofs rise at the sides and centre, modelled on the guard towers of old Malay palaces. Rows of small dark windows and arched openings punctuate the facade, and a black metal fence with cream pillars and gold finials runs in front.

Construction of the palace began in 1999 and was completed in 2002 under the supervision of Perbadanan Putrajaya, creating a royal retreat adapted for contemporary needs. The project formed part of the broader development of Putrajaya as a new administrative capital.

The name was chosen by Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah of Selangor; melawati means guard's tower, echoed by the three towers modelled on those of old Malay palaces. The roofs copy the east-coast Malay style, with tiered eaves and clay buah butong at the corners. At the main staircase of the Meeting Wing stands a melawati of chengal wood with a golden roof.

The interior of the palace is not open to regular visitors, but exterior views and surrounding gardens can be seen from designated public areas during daylight hours. The best views of the structure are found from marked vantage points around the grounds.

The palace stands on the highest point of Putrajaya, about 125 metres above sea level, so nearly the whole federal territory can be seen from it. It is also the first modern palace in the country built entirely on adapted traditional Malay royal design, including the five-ridge roof form known as bumbung perabung lima.