Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii

Enclosed within these fragrant hills lies a story. It’s a story of kings and queens, of a kingdom lost and a heritage preserved. This, my friends, is the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii, a place where the past whispers secrets to the present. The Royal Mausoleum, also known as Mauna Ala, meaning “fragrant mountain,” isn’t just a cemetery. It’s the final resting place of Hawaii’s two most prominent royal families: the Kamehamehas and the Kalakauas. Imagine torchlit processions carrying the remains of royalty to their final resting place. This very ground witnessed such a scene in 1865, as the remains of past monarchs were moved from a crowded tomb near Iolani Palace to this serene valley. The Royal Mausoleum began with a king’s love for his son. King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma envisioned this place as the resting place for their young son, Prince Albert, who tragically died at age four. The king himself died before its completion, and his brother, Kamehameha V, finished the construction in 1865. It then became the designated burial site for Hawaiian royalty. Within the Kamehameha Tomb lie not only kings but also queens, princes, princesses, and high chiefs. The Kalakaua Crypt houses King Kalakaua, Queen Kapiolani, Queen Liliuokalani, and other royal family members. Did you know that not all Hawaiian kings rest here? Kamehameha the Great, the unifier of the Hawaiian Islands, lies in a secret, undiscovered location. King Lunalilo, the first elected king, is interred at Kawaiahao Church. The Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii isn’t just a historical site. It’s a place of reverence. It stands apart, exempt from U.S. land laws. The Hawaiian flag flies proudly here, unaccompanied by the American flag, a symbol of the enduring spirit of the Hawaiian Kingdom. So as you stand here, among the fragrant hills, remember the kings and queens, the princes and princesses, and the chiefs who shaped the destiny of Hawaii. Their stories, etched in stone and whispered by the wind, live on within the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii.