Pohukaina and the House of Kamehameha In the early 19th century, the site of ʻIolani Palace was near an ancient burial site known as Pohukaina. It is believed to be the name of a chief (sometimes spelled Pahukaina) who according to legend chose a cave in Kanehoalani in the
Koʻolau Range for his resting place. The land belonged to
Kekauluohi, who later served as
Kuhina Nui. In his book,
A visit to the South Seas, in the U.S. Ship Vincennes: during the years 1829 and 1830, Charles Samuel Stewart describes the area and homes in detail.
Tomb Pohukaina was a sacred burial site for the
aliʻi (ruling class). Years after 1825, the first Western-style royal tomb was constructed for the bodies of King
Kamehameha II and his queen
Kamāmalu. They were buried on August 23, 1825. The design was heavily influenced by the tombs at
Westminster Abbey during Kamehameha II's trip to London. The mausoleum was a small house made of coral blocks with a thatched roof. It had no windows, and it was the duty of two chiefs to guard the iron-locked koa door day and night. No one was allowed to enter the vault except for burials or Memorial Day, a Hawaiian holiday celebrated on December 30. But many chiefs remain on the site including:
Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku,
Kalaniʻōpuʻu,
Chiefess Kapiʻolani, and
Haʻalilio. A lead coffin belonging to Kekupuohi (died 1836), one of the wives of Kamehameha I, was uncovered in 1931. After being overgrown for many years, the Hawaiian Historical Society passed a resolution in 1930 requesting Governor
Lawrence Judd to memorialize the site with the construction of a metal fence enclosure and a plaque. According to tradition, Pohukaina was built on the site of a former cave.
Hale Aliʻi In July 1844, Kekūanaōʻa began building a large home at the site of the current palace as a gift to his daughter
Victoria Kamāmalu. Instead,
Kamehameha III purchased the estate and used the home as his royal residence after moving the capital of the kingdom to Honolulu from
Lāhainā. It would become the Iolani Palace. in honor of his restoration after the
Paulet Affair of 1843. Kamehameha IV build a separate house on the east side of the palace called
Ihikapukalani (on the mauka side) and
Kauluhinano (on the makai side).
Name changed to ʻIolani Palace During the reign of Kamehameha V, the king initially proposed renaming Hale Aliʻi as "St. Alexander Palace" in honor of his late brother, Kamehameha IV. However, the Privy Council expressed a preference for the name
ʻIolani Palace, derived from one of the late king’s given names (his full name was Alexander Liholiho Keawenui ʻIolani) after the
ʻIo (royal hawk). The Palace served as the official residence of the monarch during the reigns of Kamehameha III, Kamehameha IV,
Kamehameha V,
Lunalilo, and the first part of Kalākaua's reign. The original structure was very simple in design and was more of a
stately home than a palace, but at the time, it was the grandest house in town. The palace was largely meant for receiving foreign dignitaries and state functions with the monarch preferring to sleep in private homes.
Seat of government Kamehameha I formed his official government at Lahaina, Maui in 1802, where he built the kingdom's first royal residence called the
Brick Palace.
Lahaina remained the seat of government under the first three Kamehameha monarchs until 1845 when Kamehameha III moved the royal court. Lahaina had been the seat of government, where the royal courts of many chiefs of Maui had been located, including
Kahekili II until 1794. In 1845 Kamehameha III moved the Royal Court and capitol to Honolulu. Hale Ali'i would become the seat of government and would remain so through the subsequent Kamehameha monarchs. After 1874, the main seat of government was transferred to the new central government building left by Kamehameha V. After the overthrow the provisional government would use the Iolani Palace as the seat of government. While a territory, the palace was called: The Capitol of the Territorial Government. It would also serve as the first state capitol building. The area was culturally significant as a seat of government for many reasons including the palace's size, orientation and other factors of religious importance and bridged the ancient history of Hawaiʻi with the new 19th century monarchy. ==Kalākaua's ʻIolani Palace==