d where the palace was
located. The city was then called "Mahal". Formerly it was a walled
city surrounded by fortifications and gates (doroshi). The Royal Palace
(Gan'duvaru) was destroyed along with the picturesque forts (kotte)
and bastions (buruzu) when the city was remodelled under President Ibrahim
Nasir's rule after the abolition of the monarchy. However, the beautifully
decorated Male' Hukuru Miskiy remains. In recent years, the island has been
considerably expanded through land filling operations. Over the years, with the
fight for democracy, Malé has been the epicenter of political protests and
milestone events
