Istana Damnah was once a regal building built by Sultan Sulaiman Badrul Alamsyah III who ruled from 1857 – 1883, at a time when the government of Riau – Lingga enjoyed great success. However, after the last sultan of Lingga, Sultan Abdul Rahman II Muadzam Syah left for Singapore, the palace was left uninhabited and slowly disintegrated into a ruin.
Not far from Linggam Cahaya Museum is a replica of Istana Damnah; a reminder of the original palace and all of its glory. This wooden palace may not be as huge as some of the world’s more famous palaces but it certainly has character.