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Manhyia
Palace
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DESCRIPTION
The Manhyia
(Akan
language meaning
Oman hyia -
gathering
of
the
people)
Palace is
the
seat
of
the Asantehene of Asanteman,
as
well
as
his
official
residence. It
is
located
at Kumasi,
the
capital
of
the Ashanti
Kingdom and Ashanti
Region.
The
first
palace
is
now
a
museum.
Otumfuor Opoku
Ware
II built
the
new
palace,
which
is
close
to
the
old
one
and
is
used
by
the
current
Asantehene,
Otumfuor Osei
Tutu
II.
Manhyia
Palace.
This
is
the
principal façade,
the
Front;
originally
constructed
and
completed
in
1925.
It
acquired
its
present
appearance
following
a
remodelling,
in
1995.
History
The
palace
was
built
in
1925 by
the
British
some
time
after
the Third
Anglo-Ashanti
War in
1874,
when
the
British
had
destroyed
the
original
palace
built
by Asantes.
The
British
were
said
to
have
been
impressed
by
the
size
of
the
original
palace
and
the
scope
of
its
contents,
which
included
"rows
of
books
in
many
languages.", but
due
to
events
in
the War
of
the
Golden
Stool,
the
British
demolished
the
royal
palace
with
explosives. The
palace
consequently
erected
is
a
kilometre
from
the
Centre
for
National
Culture, Kumasi.
Upon
the
return
from
exile
of
the
Asantehene
Nana Prempeh
I from
the Seychelles
Islands,
the
building
was
offered
to
him
for
use
as
his
residence.
This
was
because
prior
to
the
Asantehene's
exile,
his
old
palace
had
been
burnt
down
in
the Yaa
Asentewa
War. The
war
was
fought
between
the
British
and
the Asantes because
of
the
refusal
of
the
Asantehene
to
offer
the Golden
stool to
the
then
governor
of
the Gold
Coast.
Prempeh
I
only
accepted
the
offer
after
he
had
paid
for
the
cost
of
the
building
in
full. Two
kings
lived
in
the
palace,
namely Otumfuo
Prempeh
I and
Otumfuo
Sir
Osei
Agyeman
Prempeh
II, KBE,
the
13th
and
14th
kings
of
the
Asante
nation.
The
old
palace
was
converted
into
a
museum
in
1995
after
the
new
palace
was
built. Opoku
Ware
II was
the
first
king
to
live
in
the
new
palace,
which
he
occupied
until
his
death
in
1999.
The
current
Asantehene
Barima
Kwaku
Duah
popularly
called
Otumfuor Osei
Tutu
II,
currently
resides
in
the
new
palace.
Major
activities
The
palace
courtyard
hosts
numerous
important
Asante
traditional
events.
These
include
the Adae
festival,
which
occurs
every
sixth
Sunday,
when
the
Asantehene
receives
homage
from
his
subjects
and
subservient
chiefs.
Manhyia
Palace
Museum
The
palace
built
by
the
British
after
the "War
of
the
Golden
Stool"(Akan
Language
"Sika"
=
Golden
stool
="Dwa")
was
converted
into
a
museum
and
official
opened
on
12
August
1995 by
the
then
king,
Otumfuo
Opoku
Ware
II.
The
opening
of
the
museum
was
part
of
activities
that
marked
the Silver
Jubilee of
his
accession
to
the
Golden
Stool. This
palace
was
used
as
the
office
of
the
Kings.
It
served
as
Administrative
headquarters
of
Asante
Nation
from
1925
to
1974
until
Otumfuo
Opoku
Ware
II
moved
from
this
office
to
the
new
residence
at
Manhyia. Several
artefacts
are
displayed
in
the
museum.
They
include
furniture
used
by
the
Kings,
the
bronze
head
of
Nana
Sir
Osei
Agyeman
Prempeh
II,
and
a
sketch
map
of
the
Asanteman. There
is
also
Asanteman's
first
television at
the
museum,
as
well
as
life-sized
wax
effigies
of
some
of
the
kings
and
queens
of
Asanteman.
Architecture
The
architecture
of
the
palace
is
akin
to
the
Kingdom
of
Asante
building
plans
of
the
early
1900s.
The
palace
is
a
two-storey
building. Both
floors
have
open
verandas,
giving
a
view
of
the
palace's
environs.
In
1995,
an
outbuilding
was
added
to
the
original
palace
to
serve
as
a
gift
shop. The
palace
has
a
large
courtyard
and
it
showcases
statues
of
past
great
kings
and
queens
of
the
Ashanti.
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