Balai Besar, located in the heart of Alor Setar, is a royal audience hall built by Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin Mu’adzam Shah II (1710 – 1778) in 1735. It was used to conduct official royal and governmental ceremonies. Two Sultans of Kedah were officially crowned in this hall: Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah II, the 22nd Sultan of Kedah (1804-1845) in 1805, and Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, the 27th Sultan of Kedah (1958-2017) on 20 February 1959.
The location of Balai Besar in the center of Alor Setar City is considered very strategic as it is surrounded by many other historical buildings and monuments, such as the Royal Kedah Museum, Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Gallery, Balai Nobat, State Art Gallery, and Zahir Mosque. The building showcases beautiful architectural craftsmanship and features intricate woodwork using golden chengal wood. It has carvings and mirrors imported from China on its roof. Balai Besar has a total of 42 main pillars made of hardwood, still sturdy to this day. The hall was constructed using wood for the pillars, roof, and floor.
This building was destroyed during the Thai invasion in the Musuh Bisik War of 1821, where the Balai Besar square was a fierce battleground at the time. During the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah (1882 – 1943), the building was reconstructed in 1896, led by Muhammad bin Lebai Tambi, an architect from the Kedah Public Works Department, to prepare for the royal wedding ceremony of five princes and princesses in 1904.
To this day, Balai Besar is still used for several palace customs. For example, it was used for the Istiadat Letak Kerja during the coronation of KDYMM Al Aminul Karim Al Sultan Salehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah as the 29th Sultan of Kedah on 20 September 2018, following the death of the late Sultan Abdul Halim Mua’dzam Shah on 12 September 2017.
Reflecting back to 1956, this hall was used for the Istiadat Letak Kerja during the Royal Wedding of Sultan Abdul Halim Mua’dzam Shah with Sultanah Bahiyah, the daughter of the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Abdul Rahman Muhammad. Sultanah Bahiyah’s father once became the first Yang Dipertuan Agong of Malaysia.
The unique architecture of this building stands as a testament to the sovereign rule of past sultans and their commitment to the welfare of their people. Every event that occurs around this hall serves as a lesson and guide for the people of Kedah, especially for those who defended the state from colonization.
