Yangon’s High Court Building became the 20th site in the city to receive a Blue Plaque from the Yangon Heritage Trust on Friday in a ceremony attended by Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein.
The building, located on Pansodan Road in Kyauktada Township, was built between 1905 and 1911 and housed the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country, until 2006, when the capital was moved to Naypyidaw. The High Court of Yangon Region has occupied the building since it was established by parliament in 2010.
The building was designed by James Ransome, who was a consultant architect for the colonial government of India. It is an example of the Queen Anne revival style, which is characterized by brickwork, corner towers, broad porches, and shadowed entrances.
It is also said to have been one of the first buildings in Yangon to receive electricity.
According to the Yangon Heritage Trust, the building is an “outstanding example of a grand, old building of Empire” that was “designed to symbolize the regal might of the British Empire.”
“The building’s history is memorable and honorable in the eyes of local residents, even 100 years after the building was [first] depicted as a symbol of Myanmar’s judicial system,” said Yangon Heritage Trust project director and researcher Thurein Aung at the ceremony. “The image of the lion and the arched roofs, as well as the clock tower, reflect the symbolism of Myanmar’s judicial system.
The Blue Plaque project aims to highlight the historical significance of Yangon’s landmarks and make their histories accessible to the public. The plaques contain short histories of each site in both Burmese and English.
Previous recipients include City Hall, the Sofaer Building, and, most recently, Yangon General Hospital.
Thurein Aung said there are plans to bestow Blue Plaques to around 200 landmarks around the city.
