Utheemu Palace to be open to public during Eid holidays

Department of Heritage has announced that Utheemu Palace will be open to public during Eid holidays - from 20 to 22 September, and from 26 to 27 September 2015.

The opening hours on these days are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The department said that a large number of people are expected to visit the palace in Haa Alifu Utheemu during Eid holidays this year.

Utheemu Ganduvaru (Palace) belonged to the father of Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu, Hussain Khatheeb Thakurufaanu. It is the wooden palace in which Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu lived and grew up. It is well preserved and evokes the lifestyle of the rich centuries ago, more than any other existing building in the Maldives.

The island of Utheemu is famed as the birthplace of Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu, who with his brothers and his companions fought an eight-year-long war to drive out the Portuguese invaders who occupied the Maldives from 1558 to 1573.