The Crown Arch is apparantly the most photographed landmark in Johor, so I thought it was time to check it out for myself. You will find it on Google Maps as ‘Laman Mahkota Istana Bukit Serene’ as it is sited in front of the Sultan’s Residential Palace besides Route J1 (Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar). You need to approach from the north on Route J1, and turn off left onto the small slip road to enter the far end of the car park. I could not see any directional signs for the carpark, so just keep to the left lane on the highway and slow down!
According to Peggy Loh’s blog, "the site of the Crown Arch with a bank of fountains and adjacent carpark, was presented by the Johor Sultan as a gift to the rakyat (people), to enjoy a relaxing park-like ambience outside his official residence”. Indeed, the gardeners were hard at work in the blazing sunshine to tend the grounds here, and it is quite impressive. The structure was built to mark the coronation of Sultan Iskandar on 23rd March, 2015, and features a replica of his crown. The arches represent elephant tusks. Back in the 15th century, elephants were used to convey the sultans during processions and were also used as war animals. It is reported that when Sultan Mahmud Shah fell off his elephant during the defense of Melaka in 1511, the ensuing chaos was partly responsible for the success of the Portuguese in the sacking of the city.
When I took this photo (above), the guards looked a little twitchy. It wasn’t until I returned in the evening that I discovered barriers to prevent people walking under the Crown Arch from the direction of the fountains. This gateway is afterall the main entrance to the Istana Bukit Serene. I had walked along the roadside to get here, so had missed the barriers altogether.
The nearby fountains looked a little lonely, surrounded by far too much concrete.
To the left of the Crown Arch is Taman Serene so I went in there to look around. As parks go, it was a brutal and forlorn looking place in the tropical heat. I saw a sign for a maze which was at the far end of the park, but clearly forgotten about. I had intended to walk inside the maze but the shrubs had not been trimmed for some time so it was impossible. This was all in marked contrast to the colour, texture, and neatness of the gardens in the Sultan’s driveway.
To the right of the carpark is a newer area, filled with constructions which come alive with a light show at night. The star and crescent is used today as a symbol of the Islamic world, and is the centre piece of this display. The Sultan’s palace is hidden behind the trees on the hill on the left of the photo below. You can just about see a flag flying in the distance, and the green roof of the palace.
Mine was the sole car in the carpark on this afternoon, but come nighttime this carpark was packed and the place was humming with people. Surprisingly for a space where Malaysians are supposed to congegrate, no food vendors are allowed here, so this is not a place to come for a picnic. So, here is a collection of nighttime photos showing the the Crown Arch in all its splendour and a range of different lighting schemes for the fountains and elsewhere.
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