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Iolani

Iolani is a Hawaiian term most commonly associated with Iolani Palace, the royal residence of the Hawaiian Kingdom in Honolulu. The name is generally translated as "royal hawk" in Hawaiian.

Iolani Palace was commissioned by King Kalakaua and completed in 1882 on the site of the monarch’s

The name Iolani is also used in the broader Hawaiian context to refer to institutions and places

former
residence.
It
served
as
the
official
residence
of
Hawaii's
monarchs
and
as
a
center
of
government
until
the
overthrow
of
the
monarchy
in
1893.
After
years
of
neglect
and
a
period
of
use
by
military
and
private
interests,
the
palace
and
surrounding
buildings
were
restored
in
the
20th
century
and
opened
to
the
public
as
a
museum
in
1978.
The
complex
includes
the
palace
itself
and
the
nearby
government
structures
from
the
era.
It
is
designated
a
National
Historic
Landmark
and
is
part
of
the
Iolani
Palace
State
Monument.
named
in
honor
of
the
palace
and
its
royal
heritage,
including
Iolani
School,
a
private
college-preparatory
school
in
Honolulu.
In
this
way,
Iolani
functions
as
both
a
specific
historic
site
and
a
cultural
reference
within
Hawaii.