Here are old postcards featuring Seif Palace, found on eBay or Delcampe

Here is a map of Kuwait dating to the 1970s where you can see Al Salam Palace, Messilah Palace, Dasmah Palace, Shaab Palace, Mishrif Palace, and Messilah Palace marked

Seif Palace (late 1800s): the Seif palace was built sometime in the late 19th century; before that, rulers may have lived in the old fort for which Kuwait is named. In her work Kuwait Transformed, Farah Nakib writes that, “local tradition claims that the Al Sabah had taken over the Bani Khalid fort when they came to power in 1752. In 1860, the residence of ruler Sabah al-Jaber was described as a ‘ruin,’ which may have been the Bani Khalid fort in disrepair. By the 1890s, the rulers’ residence was located next to the port in the center of the town’s coastline. Whether this structure was the old fort or a newer building is unknown. In 1904, Sheikh Mubarak imposed a 2 percent customs tax on mercantile imports… he used the newfound wealth to transform the rulers’ nondescript residence on the seafront, of al-Seif, into a fortified and luxurious palace complex, perhaps as a symbol of his growing prestige.” Nakib also writes that, “as a further reflection of his increasing political power, Mubarak constructed a new double-story building (popularly known as his kishk or kiosk) in the town market in which to hold his daily majlis with the townspeople. His office was located on the second floor, from which he observed and monitored all activity in the market below in panopticon style.” Starting in 1988, the palace was expanded and modernized even further. The aerial photograph below comes from  the book “Kuwait from Above.” The older photos come from “Kuwait by the first Photographers” and show the palace during the time of Sheikh Mubarak.

Here are more old postcards and stamps found on eBay

These images come from The Kuwait Urbanization by Saba George Shiber

The Red Fort (built in 1898): the work Kuwait in Pictures, published in 1995, reports that, “Al Jahra is one of Kuwait’s oldest communities. Indeed, evidence suggests that it flourished well before the 7^th century.” Located to the northwest of Kuwait City, it is one of the only oases in the country, making it an important center before modern desalination technology. Today in Al Jahra you can visit the historic Red Fort, the site of an important battle in the early 20th century which now has a modest heritage museum. In his work The Modern History of Kuwait, Abu Hakima writes that, “the battle of al-Jahra in 1920 is considered by far one of, if not the most important, events in the modern history of the sheikhdom of Kuwait.” To protect against Ikhwan raids, Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah had a new wall built around Kuwait town. Hakima continues, “soon after the completion of that wall, Salim sensed the impending danger from the Ikhwan. Salim realized that his first line of defense must not be Kuwait city, but the town of al-Jahra which was protected by a strong fort. He proceeded to that town, at the head of well-armed Kuwaiti citizens, where they were joined by additional tribal forces.” There was a siege on the Red Fort where “Salim’s strategy succeeded, and the final battle did not reach Kuwait.” The floor plan map comes from the article Socio-Spatial Analysis of Traditional Kuwaiti Houses by Omar Khattab.

Sheikh Khazal Palace (built in 1916): you can read more about this palace on this post

Naif Palace (built in 1919): Naif Palace is located near to Al Shamiya Gate on the Old City Wall, which ran along where Soor Street runs now, it was built in order to defend the city in case of attack. Since the 1950s, a cannon is shot off at Maghrib time during Ramadan, which visitors can go and watch. The older image of the fort below comes from Voice of the Oud by Jehan Rajab, the postcard dates to the 1950s.

Old Bayan Palace (built 1931): another historic palace, but which is no longer standing is the Old Bayan Palace. Built by Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 1931, he used the place as a getaway during springtime. It was south of Hawally, which was then visited by Kuwaitis in springtime, and overlooked all of Hawally’s houses and surrounding lands. The number of Hawally residents only increased after the palace was built as people used to go to the palace’s mosque for Friday prayers. The palace was abandoned after the death of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber in 1950 and it was torn down by 1960 to be replaced by the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital.

Mishref Palace (current structure re-built in the 1950s): Abdulraouf Murad writes that “for unknown reasons, Mishref Palace has been abandoned for more than 30 years. The palace has several facilities including a swimming pool, a cinema hall, guard’s barracks, a central kitchen, women’s suites, guest rooms, a mosque, car parks, a rose garden and a weapons depot. The palace played a major role in public and political life and witnessed many meetings of leaders and rulers from around the world. In 1900, Mishref Palace was built by the Sheikh Mubarak Al-Subah, the seventh ruler of Kuwait, to be a fortress at its current location, about 12 kilometers southeast of Kuwait City. It was called Mishref (overlooker) because it was built on a high ground overlooking the land around. Later on, Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Subah renovated his father’s palace in 1940. In the early 1950s, the palace was rebuilt and modernized.”

In this archival footage from 1958, you can see how the palace once looked.

Al Salam Palace: in May of 1969, National Geographic had an article on Kuwait. They reported that Al Salam Palace was, “Kuwait’s official guesthouse. Planned as the private pleasure dome of a royal sheikh… Peace Palace was purchased by the government $8,400,000. It witnesses glittering receptions held by and for the Emir.” Like many other buildings, the palace suffered severe destruction during the invasion. It was abandoned for many years, but was recently renovated. The first photograph below shows Al Salam Palace under construction in the early 60s and comes from Brett Jordan.

Al Sabah Palace (built in 1978): located in Mahboula and designed by the well known architect Hassan Fathy (who also designed a mosque complex in New Mexico), Kuwait Modern Architecture writes that, “one of Fathy’s late works, the large mansion incorporates all the typical characteristics of his architecture: massive brick wall and small controlled apertures, vaults and domes, wind towers. The house is introverted like a caravanserai. The images come from this website.