Did you know that there’s an abandoned “castle” in Terengganu that used to be a “royal homestay”?
Pura Tanjung Sabtu is a combination of seven Malay traditional wooden houses located in Kampung Tanjung Sabtu, Manir, approximately 14km from Kuala Terengganu.
Also known as Tujuh Rumah Putera (Seven House Prince), the complex was built on 5.66 hectares of inherited land near the banks of the Nerus River.
At first glance, Pura (which means castle in Sanskrit) Tanjung Sabtu looks like any other old but grand castle. However, a closer look into the compound and houses reveal that the once well-taken care of timber structures have overgrown with moss and has been weathered by the elements.
The glory days
According to the Chairman of the Tanjung Sabtu Village Community Management Council (MPKK), Md Fauzi Mustaffa, Pura Tanjung Sabtu used to be a popular “royal homestay” in the mid-90s.
Many local and foreign tourists, especially VIPs and royalty would visit the homestay for a taste of Malay traditions and cultures.
Additionally, Md Fauzi said that the homestay was actually set up by the late Tengku Ismail Tengku Su, who was a member of Terengganu royalty. He was inspired to build the 18th-century royal dwelling-style complex after a memorable visit to the Nijo-jo Palace in Kyoto, Japan.
He was also known as the Songket Prince for his highly sought-after songket creations that he used to work on in one of the houses at Pura Tanjung Sabtu.
Sadly, after Tengku Ismail’s passing in 2011, Pura Tanjung Sabtu lost its caretaker and has since been abandoned. It wasn’t until recently that villagers there cleared the bush surrounding the complex and planted some banana trees there.
There’s also a rumour that Pura Tanjung Sabtu may be refurbished into a tahfiz school for nearby students or a songket museum.
We would love to visit this lovely place if it’s ever redeveloped into a tourist attraction!
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