07/07/2024
THE WHITE PALACE OF SWAT WAS BUILT IN 1940 BY THE FIRST KING OF SWAT (WALI E SWAT) MIANGUL ABDUL WADUD, ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA ITS NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED 3 TIMES, FIRST IT WAS NAMED SWATI PALACE AND THEN MOTTI PALACE AND THEN WHITE PALACE.
THE WHITE PALACE LOCATED AT 7,136 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
THE GREENERY OF THE GORGEOUS LANDSCAPE PERSUADED THE MIANGUL ABDUL WADUD (BADSHAH SAHIB) IN 1935 TO BUILD A SUMMER RESORT HERE. THE KING BROUGHT MARBLE FROM AGRA, BRONZE FROM BELGIUM, AND ARTISANS FROM TURKEY WHO DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED THE PALACE, COMPLETING IT IN 1941. THERE IS ALSO A 200-YEAR-OLD COLOSSAL CHINAR TREE, SERVING AS CANOPY FOR VISITORS.
THERE ARE 24 ACTIVE SPACIOUS DECORATED ROOMS AND THE ROYAL SUITE (EX-KING'S BEDROOM) WHERE ELIZABETH II, QUEEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH STAYED FOR THREE DAYS IN 1961.
THERE ARE TWO BIG CONFERENCE HALLS WHERE KING ABDUL WADOOD USED TO HOLD CABINET MEETINGS. THERE IS THE KING'S LOBBY WHICH HAS A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF THE GARDEN LAWN. ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THERE IS A KING'S VERANDA TO HAVE A GLIMPSE OF A SWIRLING STREAM OF WATER. ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PALACE IS SITUATED A SIX-ROOMED LORD'S BLOCK FOR THE RESIDENCE OF MINISTERS AND ADVISORS. ON THE UPPER PORTION OF THE PALACE, THERE IS THE EIGHT-ROOMED PRINCE BLOCK, IT IS AN ENCLAVE IN TREES AND SHRUBS. CLIMBING FURTHER STAIRS, THERE IS A TWELVE-ROOMED QUEEN'S BLOCK. THE WHITE PALACE IS NOW CONVERTED INTO A HOTEL AND HAS BECOME A TOURIST ATTRACTION DURING THE SUMMER.
