Melacca
Where It All Began
The state of Malacca is located on the southwestern
coast of peninsular Malaysia, commanding a central position on
the Straits of Malacca. The state's area of 658 square kilometers
is divided into three districts: Alor Gajah, Malacca Tengah, and
Jasin. Malacca's population of almost half a million people is a
fascinating polyglot of Malays, Chinese, Indians, Straits-born
Chinese, Portuguese descendants, and Eurasians, in many ways
characteristic of Malaysia's population as a whole. The capital,
Malacca, was for a brief period one of the greatest trading
cities in the world, and it is today a city of remarkable
historical and cultural interest.
History
The history of Malacca is largely the story of the city for
which it is named, and the story of the city of Malacca begins
with the fascinating and partly legendary tale of the Hindu
prince Parameswara.
The Malay Annals relate that Parameswara was a
fourteenth-century Palembang prince who, fleeing from a Javanese
enemy, escaped to the island of Temasik (present-day Singapore)
and quickly established himself as its king. Shortly afterward,
however, Parameswara was driven out of Temasik by an invasion,
and with a small band of followers set out along the west coast
of the Malay peninsula in search of a new refuge. The refugees
settled first at Muar, but they were quickly driven away by a
vast and implacable horde of monitor lizards; the second spot
chosen seemed equally inauspicious, as the fortress that the
refugees began to build fell to ruins immediately. Parameswara
moved on. Soon afterward, during a hunt near the mouth of a river
called Bertam, he saw a white mouse-deer kick one of his hunting
dogs. So impressed was he by the deer's defiant gesture that he
decided immediately to build a city on the spot. He asked one of
his servants the name of the tree under which he was standing
and, being informed that the tree was called a Malaka, gave that
name to the city. The year was 1400.
Although its origin is as much romance as history, the fact is
that Parameswara's new city was situated at a point of enormous
strategic importance. Midway along the straits that linked China
to India and the Near East, Malacca was perfectly positioned as a
center for maritime trade. The city grew rapidly, and within
fifty years it had become a wealthy and powerful hub of
international commerce, with a population of over 50,000. It was
during this period of Malacca's history that Islam was introduced
to the Malay world, arriving along with Gujarati traders from
western India. By the first decade of the sixteenth century
Malacca was a bustling, cosmopolitan port, attracting hundreds of
ships each year. The city was known worldwide as a center for the
trade of silk and porcelain from China; textiles from Gujarat and
Coromandel in India; nutmeg, mace, and cloves from the Moluccas,
gold and pepper from Sumatra; camphor from Borneo; sandalwood
from Timor; and tin from western Malaya.
Unfortunately, this fame arrived at just the moment when
Europe began to extend its power into the East, and Malacca was
one of the very first cities to attract its covetous eye. The
Portuguese under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque arrived
first, taking the city after a sustained bombardment in 1511. The
Sultan fled to Johor, from whence the Malays counterattacked the
Portuguese repeatedly though without success. One reason for the
strength of the Portuguese defence was the construction of the
massive fortification of A Famosa, only a small portion of which
survives today.
A Famosa ensured Portuguese control of the city for the next
one hundred and fifty years, until, in 1641, the Dutch invested
Malacca after an eight-month siege and a fierce battle. Malacca
was theirs, but it lay in almost complete ruin. Over the next
century and a half, the Dutch rebuilt the city and employed it
largely as a military base, using its strategic location to
control the Straits of Malacca. In 1795, when the Netherlands was
captured by French Revolutionary armies, Malacca was handed over
to the British to avoid capture by the French. Although they
returned the city to the Dutch in 1808, it was soon given over to
the British once again in a trade for Bencoleen, Sumatra. From
1826, the city was ruled by the English East India Company in
Calcutta, although it experienced Japanese occupation from 1942
to 1945. Independence did not arrive until 1957, when
anti-colonial sentiment culminated in a proclamation of
independence by His Highness Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj,
Malaysia's first Prime Minister.
Exploring Malacca
Although Malacca is today a small and quiet town, its rich
cultural history is everywhere apparent. Most of Malacca's sights
are in close proximity to each other, and the city's interest and
beauty is best appreciated simply by wandering about on foot.
Those who prefer an even more leisurely tour should consider
hiring a trishaw.
Hang Li Po's Well
Built in 1459 by the followers of Hang Li Po, a Chinese princess
who married the Sultan of Malacca. Also known as the Sultan's
Well, this used to be the city's main source of water--even
during droughts it remained filled. The obvious connection
between control of the well and control of the city led the Dutch
to fortify Hang Li Po's Well in 1677, and the stout defensive
walls remain standing today. It has long been believed that those
who drank from the well would see Malacca again before death, and
though the well is now covered with wire mesh the blessing is
still attainable by throwing in a coin.
Stadthuys
Although the Dutch did not, like the Portuguese, establish a
permanent community of residents in Malacca, their presence is
still visible in much of the city's architecture. The most
prominent of these reminders is the salmon-coloured Stadthuys
(Statehouse), built in the middle of the seventeenth century as
the residence of the Dutch governor and his officers. The
Stadthuys retains its original architectural form, and it is
believed to be the earliest Dutch building constructed in the Far
East. The Stadthuys now houses the Museum of Malacca, displaying
a wealth of relics and artifacts of the city's fascinating past.
Porta de Santiago (A Famosa)
The Porta de Santiago is the only remaining portion of the
renowned fortress of A Famosa, built by the Portuguese in 1511. A
Famosa remained untaken for a century and a half until the Dutch
finally captured it in 1641, after a grueling eight month siege
and an intense, eight-hour assault carried out in the middle of
the night. Four previous expeditions by the Dutch had been
repulsed. The Dutch commanders' report to their superiors noted
that "It is such a strong fortification that it would seem
impossible to have stormed it. Such a fortress is worth
seeing." The Dutch later repaired the damage done to A
Famosa during their intense siege and renamed it 'VOC'. A Dutch
V.O.C. emblem can be seen embossed above the gateway. When the
British took control of the city in 1808 they intended to destroy
all of A Famosa so that it could not fall into the hands of the
French. However, timely intervention by Sir Stamford Raffles
saved the Porta de Santiago. Even this last glance of A Famosa
gives a good sense of how impressed the Dutch must have been when
they finally passed through its gates.
St. John's Fort
St.John's Fort lies atop St. John's Hill, 3km from Malacca's town
centre. The fort was constructed by the Dutch during the third
quarter of the 18th century on the site of what had been a
private Portuguese chapel dedicated to St. John. Contrary to what
one might expect, the fort's gun embrasures are directed
inland--Malacca, like many ports, was far more vulnerable to
attack from land than from sea, and the fort was designed to
prevent just such an overland attack.
St. Paul's Church
This ancient church was built in 1521 as "Our Lady of the
Hill" by Duarte Coelho, a Portuguese Captain. St. Francis
Xavier, who preached in Malacca in the mid-sixteenth century, was
upon his death in 1553 briefly enshrined here. His remains were
then transported to Goa, India, where they rest today. After the
Dutch took the city they renamed the church for St. Paul.
Although they made little use of St. Paul's, they did use the
burial ground. Today St. Paul's is an evocative and crumbling
ruin.
Malacca Sultanate Palace
Situated at the foot of St. Paul's hill, this remarkable wooden
building is a reconstruction of the Malacca Sultanate's Palace.
The design is based on the description of the palace from the
sixteenth-century 'Malay Annals,' or 'Sejarah Melayu.' It is the
only building of its kind in Malaysia, and it provides a rare
glimpse of the ancient Malay kingdom that once flourished here.
The palace houses the Malacca Cultural Museum, which includes
many artifacts of that kingdom.
St. Francis Xavier's Church
This neo-Gothic Church was built in the middle of the nineteenth
century by a French priest, Rev. Farve, in dedication to St.
Francis Xavier. Known as the "Apostle of the East," St.
Francis Xavier established Catholicism in South-East Asia during
the sixteenth century.
Christ Church
This intensely red Dutch church was erected in 1753. Its
hand-carved pews and structural beams were assembled without
joints, testifying to the skills of its craftsmen. Old tombstones
laid on the Church floor are inscribed with Armenian script.
Portuguese Settlement
Located 3km from Malacca town. This settlement, which dates to
1930, is the residence of descendents of the Portuguese soldiers
who arrived with Albuquerque in 1511. The community still speaks
the language of those ancestors--a medieval dialect of Portuguese
that no longer exists in Portugal itself, or anywhere else for
that matter. The lovely architecture of Portuguese Square and the
fine cuisine of its restaurants provide visitors with a glimpse
of Portugal, but the primary repositories of the community's
heritage are the people themselves.
Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum
The Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum, at Nos.48 and 50, JalanTun Tan
Cheng Lock, is the ancestral home of three generations of a
Straits-born Chinese Baba family. The building is now converted
into a stunning museum that preserves the unique legacy of the
Babas.
The Babas combine Chinese and Malay culture, a result of
marriages between early Chinese settlers and local Malay women.
Over the years, a distinct culture called the Baba Nyonya or
Peranakan culture emerged.
Sound and Light Show
This multimedia show, presented at Padang Pahlwan, Bandar Hilir,
brings Malacca's six hundred years of history to life in a vivid
sound and light production.
Air Keroh Recreational Forest
Fifteen kilometers east of Malacca is Air Keroh, a vast tract of
diverse tropical forest with excellent camping facilities, nature
trails, and picnic spots. Visitors can lodge in cabins or enjoy a
night in a treetop house.
The Malacca Zoo
The open-habitat zoo sprawls over 22 hectares and has been rated
as one of the best in Malaysia. It is home to the rare and
endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros as well as many other animals
indigenous to Southeast Asia.
Reptile Park
Opposite the zoo is the Reptile Park, which houses most of the
dozens of species of snakes to be found in Malaysia.
Tranquerah Mosque
Architecturally, this mosque is highly unusual. Rather than the
traditional domed mosque surrounded by moorish minarets, the
Tranquerah Mosque and its prayer tower are constructed in the
style of pagodas.
Mini Malaysia
The traditional houses at Mini Malaysia exemplify the
architectural styles of each of the thirteen states of Malaysia.
Each of the houses was constructed by a master builder and is
furnished with elements characteristic of the culture of each
state. Attractions include weekly cultural shows and traditional
games.
Mini ASEAN
A unique theme park conceived as a summary of the prominent
cultural elements of the countries that make up ASEAN (Malaysia,
Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Brunei).
Butterfly Farm
One of the world's most comprehensive butterfly and insect farms,
with well over two hundred local species, including the rare Raja
Brooke and Birdwing butterflies. The farm also possesses an
extensive collection of insect specimens.
Crocodile Farm
One of the largest crocodile farms in the country. There are more
than a hundred species found here, including Albino and
humpbacked crocodiles. The farm is landscaped to recreate the
reptiles' natural environment. Exciting, suspenseful performances
by the keepers and the crocodiles are held every Saturday.
Beaches and Islands around Malacca:
- Tanjong Kling: 15 km north of Malacca town.
- Tanjung Bidara: 35 km north or Malacca town.
- Pulau Besar: 4 km from Malacca. To get to the island,
take a bus or a taxi to Umbai Jetty. Boats leave hourly
to the island. Accommodation is available on the island.
The state of Malacca is located on the southwestern
coast of peninsular Malaysia, commanding a central position on
the Straits of Malacca. The state's area of 658 square kilometers
is divided into three districts: Alor Gajah, Malacca Tengah, and
Jasin. Malacca's population of almost half a million people is a
fascinating polyglot of Malays, Chinese, Indians, Straits-born
Chinese, Portuguese descendants, and Eurasians, in many ways
characteristic of Malaysia's population as a whole. The capital,
Malacca, was for a brief period one of the greatest trading
cities in the world, and it is today a city of remarkable
historical and cultural interest.
St. Paul's Church