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Photo: Uhooep, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The crumbling wooden Royal Palace was built in 1867 and is the official residence of the King. Until its death in 1966 the palace grounds housed a tortoise given to the then King by Captain Cook.
The Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Tonga is located in the northwest of the capital, Nukuʻalofa, close to the Pacific Ocean. The wooden Palace, which was built in 1867, is the official residence of the King of Tonga. The palace is not open to the public, but it is easily visible from the waterfront.
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Cenotaph
A small memorial dedicated to Tongans who lost their lives during the First World War and Second World War.
It was opened in 1998 and closed in the early 21st century due to lack of funding. The museum was reopened by the Queen in 2020. Its collection comprises of historic artefacts and replicas, many of which have been returned to Tonga from private collection around the world. The most famous item in the collection is the preserved body and shell of Tu'i Malila, a radiated tortoise that is said to have been gifted to the royal family by Captain James Cook himself. The tortoise lived its life in the gardens of the royal palace, and was even shown to British Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Tonga in 1953. The tortoise passed away in 1966, at the age of 189 years old.
Typical Christian Polynesian church, famously attended by the royal family of Tonga for the Easter service.
Free Church of Tonga
An unusual combination of a baroque facade with two towers and Gothic choir, the cathedral was heavily damaged by cyclone Gita and stands in ruins, with entrance not permitted for safety reasons.
A contemporary basilica with architectural inspiration drawn from traditional Polynesia, resulting in a very unusual design resembling a pagoda with central spire and ornate staircase leading up to the main entrance.
Cemetery of Nuku'alofa, with the ornate tomb of the royal family the most popular site to visit.