Maléis thecapitaland most populous city in theRepublic of Maldives.Administratively, the city consists of a central island, an airport island, and two other islands governed by the Malé City Council. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancientroyal dynastiesruled and where the palace was located.
The city was then calledMahal.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 PresidentIbrahim Nasir's rule in the aftermath of the abolition of the monarchy in 1968. However, theMalé Friday Mosqueremains. In recent years, the island has been considerably expanded through land-filling operations. Over the years, Malé has been the center of political protests and milestone events.
In addition,it's known for its historic mosques and colorful skyscrapers.
