Ahsan Manzil (Bengali: আহসান মঞ্জিল) was the official residential palace and seat of the Dhaka Nawab Family. It is situated on the banks of the Buriganga River in Bangladesh. The palace is now a museum. It is constructed in the Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture.
The palace has enjoyed a varied history, starting from being Rang Mahal (of Sheikh Enayetullah, a Zamindar of Jamalpur pargana (Barisal) during the time of the Mughals) to a French trading centre. Nawab Khwaja Alimullah bought it from the French in 1830 and converted it into his residence, effecting necessary reconstruction and renovations. The final reconstruction was done by Martin.
The construction of the palace was begun in 1859 and completed in 1872. Abdul Ghani named it Ahsan Manzil after his son Nawab Khwaja Ahsanullah. The newly built palace first came to be known as the Rang Mahal. On April 7, 1888, a tornado caused severe damage to Ahsan Manzil -- Andar Mahal, the older part of the palace, was completely devastated. During the reconstruction of the Andar Mahal a good part of the palace was overhauled and repaired, and the exquisite dome of the present Rang Mahal was added. Ahsan Manzil was again damaged by an earthquake in 12 June 1897 and again repaired by the Nawab Ahsanullah.
The palace has enjoyed a varied history, starting from being Rang Mahal (of Sheikh Enayetullah, a Zamindar of Jamalpur pargana (Barisal) during the time of the Mughals) to a French trading centre. Nawab Khwaja Alimullah bought it from the French in 1830 and converted it into his residence, effecting necessary reconstruction and renovations. The final reconstruction was done by Martin.
The construction of the palace was begun in 1859 and completed in 1872. Abdul Ghani named it Ahsan Manzil after his son Nawab Khwaja Ahsanullah. The newly built palace first came to be known as the Rang Mahal. On April 7, 1888, a tornado caused severe damage to Ahsan Manzil -- Andar Mahal, the older part of the palace, was completely devastated. During the reconstruction of the Andar Mahal a good part of the palace was overhauled and repaired, and the exquisite dome of the present Rang Mahal was added. Ahsan Manzil was again damaged by an earthquake in 12 June 1897 and again repaired by the Nawab Ahsanullah.
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