Bukit Jugra, or Jugra Hill in English, is located by the banks of the Langat river in Selangor state, not far from the estuary where the Langat discharges into the Straits of Malacca. Standing out from the surrounding mangrove swamps, it was a landmark for mariners plying their trade along the Straits who knew it by the name Parcelar Hill from the arab word "balasar" which means "above the head".
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| Jugra Hill |
The monarch of Selangor Sultan Abdul Samad built his palace in the lands nearby the Hill in 1875 and established his seat there. As Jugra was the royal seat, the British also initially established their administration here, although this later moved to Klang and subsequently to Kuala Lumpur in 1880.
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| Sultan Abdul Samad of Selangor. |
Sultan Abdul Samad passed away in 1898, and his grandson Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah was proclaimed as the next Sultan, also in Jugra. Sultan Abdul Samad was laid to rest at the foot of Bukit Jugra, and his mausoleum is still located there to this day. The landmark moorish style Sultan Abdul Samad building located opposite the Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur is named after him.
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| Sultan Sir Alaeddin Sulaiman of Selangor |
Upon Sultan Alaeddin's ascension, he commenced construction of the Istana Bandar in 1899. The palace was a mish-mash of architectural styles, from islamic influences from India and the middle-east, oriental touches from China and even neo-classical Roman and Gothic design elements.
Sultan Alaeddin also oversaw the construction of the royal mosque in Jugra in 1903 which still bears his name till this day. A fine example of moorish and moghul architecture, Masjid DiRaja Sultan Alauddin's (Royal Mosque of Sultan Alaeddin) design is believed to have been inspired from the Deli sultanate in Sumatera.
In 1905 Sultan Alaeddin moved his seat to the Istana Mahkota Puri Klang in 1905 and Jugra soon declined into little more than a backwater, a situation that still lasts until today.
Istana Bandar was mothballed in 1938 after Sultan Alaeddin's death and remains in disuse but can still be visited today together with Masjid Alauddin if you happen to be in Jugra.
As for Bukit Jugra itself, it is now primarily a scenic lookout point, walking and mountain biking venue amongst locals. Paragliding is also an activity that sometimes take place here, with enthusiasts launching themselves of the grass patch of hill fronting the lighthouse which stands on a prominent location on the hilltop.
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| If you see this small park with a Bukit Jugra sign, you have reached the turnoff road up the hill. |
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| On the way up the hill, you will past a Chinese graveyard. |
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| Quite a large graveyard. |
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| Opposite the graveyard are the ruins of the old District Office. |
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As you drive further up, you will see that the inhabitants of the graveyard have a scenic view of the Langat
river and Carey Island on the other side. |
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Park here after you pass the Building where the Sighting of the Moon is done for Ramadhan and the Eid.
This is where the Lighthouse and Scenic viewpoint is. |
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| The lighthouse on Bukit Jugra. The present day one was built in 1976. |
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| Signboard with information on the lighthouse. |
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| Sign telling you that you are 120 metres above sea level. |
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| A viewing gallery has been built for you to enjoy the view. |
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| Hollywood sign for the Instagram generation to take selfies. |
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| The scenic view of the Langat river flowing towards the Straits of Malacca. |
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| View towards Jugra. |
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The road past the Lighthouse goes on through virgin jungle until you reach the gate
of an Army firing range. |
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After you drive back down, turn right and follow the road and you will find this small museum. Not open when
we visited. |
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| If you drive on, you will reach this small Chinese temple. |
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Opposite the temple is the Langat river and Carey island on the opposite side. The road ends at another gate
of the Army Firing Range. |
Bukit Jugra makes an interesting Sunday drive from Kuala Lumpur. At just over an hour's drive, the scenic viewpoint can be combined with other minor points of interests such as the Istana Bandar, Masjid Alauddin and Makam Sultan Abdul Samad (Sultan Abdul Samad's mausoleum) which are all in the vicinity.
If you partake, there is also a chinese seafood restaurant called Viking in the area, or head over to Morib which is a few more kilometres south.
