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As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Malacca is home to many
eye-catching historical sights - as well as a good range of attractive modern
establishments. This compact city is easy to get around on foot or trishaw to
explore the many places that make it unique. Visitors can also learn about the
the area's long and rich past which has shaped Malacca into the unofficial
historic capital of Malaysia.The most prominent contribution that Malacca has
lent to the Malaysian cultural landscape is the Baba-Nyonya culture. Possessing
an entirely new blend of customs, traditions, food and lifestyle, the Nyonya
are especially prominent throughout Malacca. Although the city is a mix of old
and new with historical buildings standing side by side with ultra modern
shopping centres, it retains a seamless blend of cultures. We have compiled
some of the best historical attractions to visit in Malacca City, all
beautifully preserved for visitors worldwide to marvel at.
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A’Famosa is more than just quick photo opportunity for tourists.
Built in 1511, the settlement used to sprawl across a whole hillside but now
only a lone gate (Porta de Santiago) remains. Originally constructed by Alfonso
de Albuquerque (who led the Portuguese invasion on the Malacca Sultanate), the
remains of the fort is now a crumbling whitewashed gatehouse that can be found
down the hill from St. Paul’s Church.When work was undertaken on the Menara
Taming Sari revolving tower in 2006, another part of the A’Famosa was
discovered. As a result, the revolving tower was relocated further inland and
A’Famosa’s newly-discovered fortress walls were reconstructed. A’Famosa is set
beside the Melaka Sultanate Palace on Jalan Kota and stands as one of the
oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia.
Christ Church was built by the Dutch when they took possession of
Malacca from the Portuguese and today, it stands as one of Malacca’s most
defining structures. Situated along Jalan Gereja (also known as Church Street),
it is an instantly recognisable brick-red building with a huge white cross at
the top. The interior of the cathedral has 200 year-old handmade pews,
decorative fanlights and plaques that honour Dutch soldiers and locals. Entrance
into the basilica is free; it is not a big building and the interior is dark
yet cosy, with dark polished wooden pews that face the altar and large timber
crucifixes that hang on the walls. Meanwhile, outside the church is a beautiful
collection of potted plants and a colourful group of trishaws lined up for
tourists. A short walking distance away from Jonker Street, Christ Church
Melaka is one of the most popular sightseeing attractions in the Stadthuys
area. Location: Jalan Kota, Malacca
Dutch Square Malacca is the most picturesque attraction located
along Jalan Kota. It is also a colourful trishaw pickup point, easily
distinguished by a group of bright, terracotta-red colonial Dutch buildings
that were built between 1660 and 1700, as well as louvered windows and chunky
doors with wrought iron hinges. A central fountain dominates the area: it is an
ornate Victorian marble addition, erected in 1904 to commemorate Queen
Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
Also within Dutch Square is the Tang Beng Swee Clock Tower. Even
though it looks distinctly Dutch, it was actually built by a wealthy Straits
Chinese family in 1886 in honour of Tan Beng Swee, a rich Chinese merchant. A
short walk down the lane to the left of Christ Church in Dutch Square leads to
the overgrown remains of the Dutch Graveyard. There is also a tall column in
the centre of the graveyard which is a memorial to fallen soldiers during the
1831 Naning War. Location: Malacca Town Centre
Melaka Menara Taming Sari (Taming Sari Tower) officially opened
for business on the 18th of April 2008, and it is the first and only gyro tower
in Malaysia so far. Measuring 110 metres in height, its revolving structure
offers a 360-degree panoramic view (in seven minutes) of Malacca town and
beyond. Located in the popular district of Bandar Hilir on Jalan Merdeka, only
three minutes’ walk from Mahkota Parade Shopping Complex and Dataran Pahlawan
Megamall, the tower is named after the Taming Sari keris, a mythical weapon
said to possess mystical powers belonging to the legendary Malay warrior, Hang
Tuah. Even the structure’s design follows the shape of the keris, with the peak
of the tower resembling the its hilt.
Melaka River was once dubbed the ‘Venice of the East’ by European
seafarers. These days, it is a popular tourist attraction primarily because of
the 45-minute River Cruise that takes you all the way to Kampung Morten, past
Malacca town and the settlements and bridges along the riverbank.
The Melaka River winds its way from Dutch Square and goes past Tan
Boon Seng Bridge. During the Portuguese invasion of Malacca, they seized this
bridge and cut off communications between both sides of the river, effectively
dividing Malacca into two and leading to Malacca’s defeat. All in all, the
Melaka River spans a distance of ten kilometres. It is said to be the
birthplace of Melaka because the Sumatran prince Parameswara founded Malacca
sultanate here and built his palace on the east-bank of the river (at the foot
of St. Paul’s Hill) in the 1400s.
The ruins of St. Paul’s Church are at the summit of St. Paul's
Hill. Built on the site of the last Malaccan sultan’s palace, it was
constructed by Portuguese fidalgo (nobleman) captain, Duarte Coelho, in
gratitude to the Virgin Mary for saving his life during a storm at sea.Roofless
and covered in ferns, it was originally called the Nossa Senhora da Annunciada
(Our Lady of the Annunciation). Though it has been in ruins for more than 150
years, it is a beautiful, breezy sanctuary (reached after a steep flight of
stairs) set near the remains of A’ Famosa fort. St. Paul’s Church offers
breathtaking views of Malacca and there are buskers and souvenir stalls at the
top of the hill; heading down on the other side leads to Porta de Santiago, the
remains of the great A’ Famosa Fort. Address: Jalan Kota, Bukit
St. Paul (St. Paul’s Hill)
The Melaka Sultanate Palace is a wooden replica of Sultan Mansur
Shah’s 15th-century palace. Set at the base of St. Paul’s Hill it was
painstakingly constructed in 1985 using traditional construction techniques and
materials, based on accounts in the 16th century, Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals)
text. According to the annals, Sultan Mansur Shah’s seven-tiered palace was
built entirely without nails and supported with carved, wooden pillars and
featured a copper and zinc roof. Although it was the most elaborate royal
palace ever constructed in the world in 1459, the structure was destroyed the
year after the sultan ascended the throne when it was struck by lightning.
Today, the RM2.5 million complex is also known as the Muzium
Kebudayaan (Cultural Museum). Opened to the public in 1986, inside the complex
are approximately 1,350 artefacts, prints, photographs and drawings detailing
the Malaccan Malay Sultanate’s history and cultural heritage.
Malacca Proclamation of Independence Memorial displays records and
photographs of the early history of the Malay Sultanate. It's divided into
several sections and houses an extensive timeline covering the country’s
journey to independence and the development of modern Malaysia. The museum is
set up right opposite Padang Pahlawan (also called Warrior’s Field), a large
open area that forms the centre of the downtown area. Set up in 1912 in an
elegant Dutch colonial mansion that used to house the Malacca Club, it was the
social centre of British colonial Malacca. Previous guests included novelist
Somerset Maugham as well as an extensive selection of Malacca’s glitterati back
in those days. The two golden onion domes flanking the top of the Proclamation
of Independence Memorial’s portico beautifully embellish the already-stylish
stark white stucco.
Masjid Tranquerah is one of the oldest mosques in the country.
Featuring a Sumatran-style façade similar to Kampung Kling Mosque’s, the
current brick structure is more than 200 years old. It is set approximately two
kilometres towards the road leading to Port Dickson, northwest of Malacca town.
Locals call it Tranquerah Mosque and the original 18th-century
structure, made of timber brought from Kalimantan, Indonesia, was built in
1728. In 1780, the mosque underwent its first renovation project: an extensive
rebuilding that left only the original minaret, a freestanding octagonal
structure with Chinese-style embellishments, untouched. Today, the main complex
resembles most Malaccan mosques with a main prayer hall featuring a three-level
roof as well as Malay, Chinese and Indonesian decorative elements.
Location: Jalan Tengkerah
Macau Gallery, situated in Bukit Peringgit in Malacca, is a
double-storey complex showcasing the best of Macau for those who would like to
know more about this interesting region. Situated on the western side of the
Pearl River Delta across from Hong Kong to the east, Macau was formerly
administered by Portugal and shares a lot of similarities with Malacca in terms
of culture and architecture, and while it is mostly known as gambling central,
Macau has a lot more to offer, especially for history and culture aficionados.
The Macau Gallery also has a small coffee and tea break seating
area, a library and a multipurpose room that can be rented for personal
functions. To get to Macau Gallery, take the Panorama bus (going towards
Hospital Melaka/Bukit Baru/Bukit Katil) from Melaka Sentral, and alight in front
of Hospital Melaka. The gallery is within ten minutes’ walk from the
hospital.
