Melaka
Unesco World Heritage Site
Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits of Malacca have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. With its government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications, Melaka demonstrates the early stages of this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning in the early 16th century. Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century. The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia. source: http://whc.unesco.org
Political and cultural life flourished in this trading centre under the auspices of the Melaka Sultanate, founded early in the fifteenth century, and helped to define what it means to be Malay. The city subsequently suffered neglect from colonial rulers and fared little better after independence, but in some respects this added to its faded charm. Recent years, though, have seen such developments as a land reclamation project that created the Taman Melaka Raya district and, in 2008, the gaining of UNESCO World Heritage Site status jointly with Penang. The latter has helped to encourage the development of a new wave of guesthouses and restoration projects, but has also brought some less welcome tourism schemes. Melaka remains, nevertheless, an undoubted highlight of any Malaysian itinerary. Melaka has its roots in the fourteenth-century struggles between Java and the Thai kingdom of Ayuthaya for control of the Malay Peninsula. The Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals) records that when the Sumatran prince Paramesvara could no longer tolerate subservience to Java, he fled to the island of Temasek (later renamed Singapore), where he set himself up as ruler. The Javanese subsequently forced him to flee north to Bertam, where he was welcomed by the local community. While his son, Iskandar Shah, was out hunting near modern-day Melaka Hill, a mouse deer turned on the pursuing hunting dogs, driving them into the sea. Taking this courageous act to be a good omen, Shah asked his father to build a new settlement there and named it after the melaka tree under which he had been sitting. Melaka under its sultans rapidly became a wealthy and cosmopolitan market town, trading spices and textiles with Indonesia and India. This meteoric rise was initially assisted by its powerful neighbours Ayuthaya and Java, who made good use of its trading facilities, but they soon found that they had a serious rival as Melaka started a campaign of territorial expansion. source: www.roughguides.com
Unesco World Heritage Site
Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits of Malacca have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. With its government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications, Melaka demonstrates the early stages of this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning in the early 16th century. Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century. The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia. source: http://whc.unesco.org
Political and cultural life flourished in this trading centre under the auspices of the Melaka Sultanate, founded early in the fifteenth century, and helped to define what it means to be Malay. The city subsequently suffered neglect from colonial rulers and fared little better after independence, but in some respects this added to its faded charm. Recent years, though, have seen such developments as a land reclamation project that created the Taman Melaka Raya district and, in 2008, the gaining of UNESCO World Heritage Site status jointly with Penang. The latter has helped to encourage the development of a new wave of guesthouses and restoration projects, but has also brought some less welcome tourism schemes. Melaka remains, nevertheless, an undoubted highlight of any Malaysian itinerary. Melaka has its roots in the fourteenth-century struggles between Java and the Thai kingdom of Ayuthaya for control of the Malay Peninsula. The Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals) records that when the Sumatran prince Paramesvara could no longer tolerate subservience to Java, he fled to the island of Temasek (later renamed Singapore), where he set himself up as ruler. The Javanese subsequently forced him to flee north to Bertam, where he was welcomed by the local community. While his son, Iskandar Shah, was out hunting near modern-day Melaka Hill, a mouse deer turned on the pursuing hunting dogs, driving them into the sea. Taking this courageous act to be a good omen, Shah asked his father to build a new settlement there and named it after the melaka tree under which he had been sitting. Melaka under its sultans rapidly became a wealthy and cosmopolitan market town, trading spices and textiles with Indonesia and India. This meteoric rise was initially assisted by its powerful neighbours Ayuthaya and Java, who made good use of its trading facilities, but they soon found that they had a serious rival as Melaka started a campaign of territorial expansion. source: www.roughguides.com
Porta De Santiago (A Famosa)
one of the most popular sites that you can find when visiting Malacca. It is a major historical landmark and is probably the most photographed structure in Malacca. The A Famosa is located just next to the Stadthuys building. The fort of Porta De Santiago (A Famosa) is one of the oldest surviving European architectural remains in the whole of Asia. This tiny gate which we call A Famosa or Porta de Santiago is the last remains of what used to be a mighty fortress. more at: www.malacca.attractionsinmalaysia.com
one of the most popular sites that you can find when visiting Malacca. It is a major historical landmark and is probably the most photographed structure in Malacca. The A Famosa is located just next to the Stadthuys building. The fort of Porta De Santiago (A Famosa) is one of the oldest surviving European architectural remains in the whole of Asia. This tiny gate which we call A Famosa or Porta de Santiago is the last remains of what used to be a mighty fortress. more at: www.malacca.attractionsinmalaysia.com
Queen Victoria's Fountain
The Queen Victoria Fountain was built in 1901 by the British and is still standing as elegant as ever until this very day. Although more than a hundred years old, this fountain is still functioning well and is probably the only functioning colonial water fountains in Malaysia. Queen Victoria surpassed George III as the longest reigning monarch in the history of England and Scotland history on 23rd September 1896. The Queen requested at the time that any special celebrations are to be put on hold until 1897 in order to coincide with her Diamond Jubilee which was later made a festival of the British Empire. more at: www.malacca.attractionsinmalaysia.com
The Queen Victoria Fountain was built in 1901 by the British and is still standing as elegant as ever until this very day. Although more than a hundred years old, this fountain is still functioning well and is probably the only functioning colonial water fountains in Malaysia. Queen Victoria surpassed George III as the longest reigning monarch in the history of England and Scotland history on 23rd September 1896. The Queen requested at the time that any special celebrations are to be put on hold until 1897 in order to coincide with her Diamond Jubilee which was later made a festival of the British Empire. more at: www.malacca.attractionsinmalaysia.com
St. Paul's Church
The St Paul's Church is the church ruins that sit on the top of the St Paul's Hill. The hill was originally named as Malacca Hill. It was then changed to Monti Ali Maria or Mary's Hill after the Portuguese took over the hill. The St Paul's Church was originally a chapel and was known to the Portuguese in Malacca as the Chapel of Mother of God (Madre de Deus) or Our Lady of the Hill (Nossa Senhora do Oiteiro). more at: www.malacca.attractionsinmalaysia.com
The St Paul's Church is the church ruins that sit on the top of the St Paul's Hill. The hill was originally named as Malacca Hill. It was then changed to Monti Ali Maria or Mary's Hill after the Portuguese took over the hill. The St Paul's Church was originally a chapel and was known to the Portuguese in Malacca as the Chapel of Mother of God (Madre de Deus) or Our Lady of the Hill (Nossa Senhora do Oiteiro). more at: www.malacca.attractionsinmalaysia.com
Christ Church
built by the Dutch when they took possession of Malacca from the Portuguese, it's one of Malacca’s most defining structures. Situated along Jalan Gereja (also known as Church Street) it is an instantly recognizable brick-red building with a huge white cross at the top. Sitting opposite the Stadhuys, Christ Church was built in 1753 to celebrate a century of Dutch occupation. The interior of the cathedral has 200 year-old handmade pews, decorative fanlights and plaques that honour Dutch soldiers and locals. more at: www.malacca.ws
built by the Dutch when they took possession of Malacca from the Portuguese, it's one of Malacca’s most defining structures. Situated along Jalan Gereja (also known as Church Street) it is an instantly recognizable brick-red building with a huge white cross at the top. Sitting opposite the Stadhuys, Christ Church was built in 1753 to celebrate a century of Dutch occupation. The interior of the cathedral has 200 year-old handmade pews, decorative fanlights and plaques that honour Dutch soldiers and locals. more at: www.malacca.ws
Kampung Kling Mosque
is an old mosque, situated at Jalan Tukang Emas, also known as "Harmony Street" because of its proximity to the Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple and Cheng Hoon Teng Temple. The original structure built by Indian Muslim traders in 1748 was a wooden building and in 1872, it was rebuilt in brick. The mosque is one of the traditional mosques in Melaka, which still retains its original design. The architectural design of the mosque is a cross between Sumatran, Chinese, Hindu, and the Melaka Malay. The minaret, ablution pool and entrance arch were built at the same time with the main building. The kampung kling mosque is named based on the place where Indian traders dwell in that place called Kampung Kling. more at: www.gogomelaka.com
is an old mosque, situated at Jalan Tukang Emas, also known as "Harmony Street" because of its proximity to the Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple and Cheng Hoon Teng Temple. The original structure built by Indian Muslim traders in 1748 was a wooden building and in 1872, it was rebuilt in brick. The mosque is one of the traditional mosques in Melaka, which still retains its original design. The architectural design of the mosque is a cross between Sumatran, Chinese, Hindu, and the Melaka Malay. The minaret, ablution pool and entrance arch were built at the same time with the main building. The kampung kling mosque is named based on the place where Indian traders dwell in that place called Kampung Kling. more at: www.gogomelaka.com
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple ("Temple of Green Cloud")
is a Taoist temple, located at No. 25 Jalan Tokong. It is the oldest functioning temple in Malaysia. The temple, with its curved roof ridge, cut-and-paste chien nien decoration, and gable design, reflects the architectural style of South China, of craftsmen from Fujian and Guangdong. It has recently been restored, and in the process garnered a prestigious Unesco award for outstanding architectural restoration. Cheng Hoon Teng Temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin). This temple was constructed by skilled workers from China - master craftsmen, artisans and carpenters, who replicated the designs of the Southern Chinese temple. The building conforms strictly to the principles of Feng Shui, incorporating the fundamental belief that every aspect of life is closely related to attaining perfect harmony with nature. Cheng Hoon Teng was founded in the 1600s by the Chinese Kapitan Tay Kie Ki alias Tay Hong Yong. more at: www.malaysiasite.nl
is a Taoist temple, located at No. 25 Jalan Tokong. It is the oldest functioning temple in Malaysia. The temple, with its curved roof ridge, cut-and-paste chien nien decoration, and gable design, reflects the architectural style of South China, of craftsmen from Fujian and Guangdong. It has recently been restored, and in the process garnered a prestigious Unesco award for outstanding architectural restoration. Cheng Hoon Teng Temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin). This temple was constructed by skilled workers from China - master craftsmen, artisans and carpenters, who replicated the designs of the Southern Chinese temple. The building conforms strictly to the principles of Feng Shui, incorporating the fundamental belief that every aspect of life is closely related to attaining perfect harmony with nature. Cheng Hoon Teng was founded in the 1600s by the Chinese Kapitan Tay Kie Ki alias Tay Hong Yong. more at: www.malaysiasite.nl