Kellie’s Castle
Kellie’s Castle
Introduction :
Where ? :
Kellie’s Castle also known as Kellie’s Folly can be found near Batu Rajah – Jalan Gopeng and within 20 minutes drive from Ipoh, Perak.
When? :
This unfinished, ruined mansion was built by a Scottish rubber planter, William Kellie Smith in 1915 to 1926 ( Unfinished ). Like the Taj Mahal, it was built with love from a husband to his daring lovely wife and as a gift to his newborn son.
How? :
The Kellie’s castle was named after William’s mother, Kellie and his hometown in Scotland that is Easter Kellas.
The architectural styles :
Because of his interest and fascination with Hindu religion and the Indian culture, he built this mansion with the art and styles of the Moorish Revival, Indo- Saracenic and Indian architectural styles. The Moorish arches and walls embellished with Greco-Roman designs. The bricks and tiles were even imported from India, as he wanted to share similar architecture to those of Madras. He even employed a big group of Indian and mostly from madras labourers to build his dream house, just to keep the Kellas House authentically Indian.
Special features :
Kellie’s Castle has an elevator that connects from the ground floor to the top floor and it was the first elevator invented in Malaya that time.
On the Second floor of this mansion, William Kellie Smith planned to build an indoor tennis court and on the top floor, there’s a rooftop courtyard for parties and events.
This castle used to be the hub for entertaining wealthy colonial planters and administrators. A grand mansion with a six-storey tower. There’s also a wine cellar, stately columns.
Not only that, there are 4 tunnels built in this mansion which;
1. Run under the river nearby the castle.
2. One of them connects from the castle to the Hindu Temple.
3. Believed to be the car parking area for William’s.
4. Still remains a mystery.
The start of Kellie’s Castle
In 1915, William also laid
Introduction :
Where ? :
Kellie’s Castle also known as Kellie’s Folly can be found near Batu Rajah – Jalan Gopeng and within 20 minutes drive from Ipoh, Perak.
When? :
This unfinished, ruined mansion was built by a Scottish rubber planter, William Kellie Smith in 1915 to 1926 ( Unfinished ). Like the Taj Mahal, it was built with love from a husband to his daring lovely wife and as a gift to his newborn son.
How? :
The Kellie’s castle was named after William’s mother, Kellie and his hometown in Scotland that is Easter Kellas.
The architectural styles :
Because of his interest and fascination with Hindu religion and the Indian culture, he built this mansion with the art and styles of the Moorish Revival, Indo- Saracenic and Indian architectural styles. The Moorish arches and walls embellished with Greco-Roman designs. The bricks and tiles were even imported from India, as he wanted to share similar architecture to those of Madras. He even employed a big group of Indian and mostly from madras labourers to build his dream house, just to keep the Kellas House authentically Indian.
Special features :
Kellie’s Castle has an elevator that connects from the ground floor to the top floor and it was the first elevator invented in Malaya that time.
On the Second floor of this mansion, William Kellie Smith planned to build an indoor tennis court and on the top floor, there’s a rooftop courtyard for parties and events.
This castle used to be the hub for entertaining wealthy colonial planters and administrators. A grand mansion with a six-storey tower. There’s also a wine cellar, stately columns.
Not only that, there are 4 tunnels built in this mansion which;
1. Run under the river nearby the castle.
2. One of them connects from the castle to the Hindu Temple.
3. Believed to be the car parking area for William’s.
4. Still remains a mystery.
The start of Kellie’s Castle
In 1915, William also laid