Ahsan Manzil

The grand riverside palace of the Nawabs of Dhaka — a pink Indo-Saracenic landmark crowned by a great dome, now a museum recreating the life and times of the family that shaped the old city, making a natural pairing with Lalbagh Fort.

The site began as a French trading house. In the 1830s Khwaja Alimullah bought it, and his son, Nawab Abdul Ghani, rebuilt it as a grand palace, completed in 1872 and named Ahsan Manzil after his own son, Khwaja Ahsanullah. The result is a fine example of Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture — arches, a grand staircase and a central dome among the tallest of its kind in the area.

For decades the palace was the social and political hub of Dhaka, where the Nawabs received guests and shaped the affairs of the city; the period is associated with major events in the region's history. A tornado badly damaged the building in 1888, after which Nawab Ahsanullah repaired it and rebuilt the dome to the form seen today.

After falling into decay in the 20th century, the palace was restored by the government and, since 1992, preserved as the Ahsanullah Memorial Museum under the Bangladesh National Museum. Its 23 galleries recreate the rooms with portraits, furniture and household objects, telling the story of the Nawabs — and the grand front steps facing the river remain the best place to take in the pink facade.

The site was originally a French trading house; Khwaja Alimullah purchased it in the 1830s and converted it for the family's use.

His son, Nawab Abdul Ghani, rebuilt it as a grand palace completed in 1872, naming it Ahsan Manzil after his son Khwaja Ahsanullah; it became the seat of the Nawabs of Dhaka and the centre of the city's social and political life.

A tornado in 1888 caused severe damage, after which the palace was repaired and the dome rebuilt; following 20th-century decay it was restored and reopened as the Ahsanullah Memorial Museum in 1992.

November to February brings comfortable, dry weather — the best time to explore the galleries and riverfront.

March to May is hot and humid; come early in the day if visiting then.

The monsoon (June to October) brings heavy rain, though the river is at its fullest and most dramatic.

Ahsan Manzil weather can be very hot and humid in summer, making the air-conditioned museum rooms a welcome escape, while the dry winter months of November to February are perfect for walking the riverside gardens.