Royal Tombs (Mala'ekula)

Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu · Tonga

Royal Tombs (Mala'ekula), Tonga
Photo: Tauʻolunga, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Good to know

Best time to go
May–October
Accessibility
limited
Coordinates
Open in maps

Mala'ekula is the walled royal burial ground in the centre of Nuku'alofa where members of Tonga's ruling Tupou dynasty have been interred since the 19th century. The large, terraced green enclosure sits behind low walls and is reserved for royalty, its most recent additions being the tombs of recent kings and queens whose funerals drew crowds from across the kingdom. Entry inside is restricted, but the site is a solemn national landmark visible from the surrounding streets.

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