Melaka City, Malaysia - An Overdose of Museums

There are so many museums within short walks of Melaka's historic quarter that I call it an overdose of the 'museum syndrome'. Given a choice, my best pick would be the Melaka Sultanate Museum housed in a reconstruction of a palace once lived by Sultan Mansur Shah, who ruled Melaka and the region from 1459 to 1477. The museum provides a glimpse into the history and culture of Melaka during its golden era.

Another interesting museum is the Maritime Museum housed in a replica of the Flor de lar Mar, an early 16th century Portuguese ship that sank off Melaka's coast carrying plundered loot to Portugal. The museum contains exhibits describing Melaka's maritime history during the period. The Stadthuys is one of the oldest Dutch buildings in the east, and housed here are the Museums of History and Ethnography

Melaka Sultanate Museum

Maritime Museum

The Stadthuys

Melaka Islamic Museum

Proclamation of Independence Memorial

Melaka City, Malaysia - The Colourful Pedicabs

In the old days, human powered pedicabs were a major mode of transport in Melaka. More efficient and polluting vehicles have now replaced these slow moving relics. Today, pedicabs are more of a novelty taking tourists on short joyrides, which you could get around by walking.

If you insist for ride on a pedicab, head to the historic Dutch Quarter where there are several. You can't miss these pedicabs with their decorations of gawdy coloured artificial flowers! Ask the pedicab driver where he will take you or tell him where you want to go, and then agree on the fare.

Pedicabs at the old Dutch Quarter

Colourful pedicabs

Have foot will cycle

More pedicabs

Melaka City, Malaysia - Souvenir Stalls Besides the Stadthuys

The Stadthuys in the old Dutch Quarter is a historical building and part of the UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. On one side of the Dutch-built building are stalls selling a variety of inexpensive souvenirs. In my view, this commercial activity destroys the Stadthuy's historical significance. But I do admit it does add to the lively atmosphere of the area. Wonder whether visitors come here to immerse themselves in history or buy souvenirs.

Souvenir stalls besides the Stadthuys

Souvenirs on display

More souvenirs

Melaka City, Malaysia - Red Buildings of the Dutch Quarter

The Dutch conquered Melaka from the Portuguese nearly 400 years ago. When the Dutch ruled Melaka, they painted the buildings they constructed in the Dutch Quarter white. When the British came 200 years later, they repainted the Dutch-built buildings in the Quarter red. The reasons are lost in history and has been repainted red ever since. Today, even the buildings near the Dutch Quarter are painted red by order of the local city hall. I have never seen so much red in my life!

The Dutch built Stadthuys is red

The police station is red

Nearby shops are red

The covered side-walk is red

Even Hotel Aldy is red!

Melaka City, Malaysia - The Stadthuys

The Stadthuys literally means 'town hall' in Dutch and located in Dutch Square. This is another historic landmark in Melaka and just a short walk from the Portuguese built A'Formosa. The Dutch had commercial interest in Melaka and were against the Portuguese for control of trade in the region. In 1640, the Dutch sent ships and troops based in Batavia (present day Jakarta, Indonesia) to capture the city from the Portuguese. The Dutch loss nearly 1,500 men trying to capture Melaka and finally succeeded in 1641 - poor blokes!

Though the Dutch succeeded in capturing Melaka, much of it was destroyed by artillery fire. Therefore the Dutch had to rebuild the city including administrative and commercial buildings, warehouses and residences - most of it within Dutch Square. The original colour of the buildings (during Dutch rule) was actually white but the British later painted the buildings red. Nobody knows the reason and many including myself thought it was the Dutch who painted it red.

The Dutch built Stadthuys

Christ Church

Souvenir stalls beside the Stadthuys

The Clock Tower besides the Stadthuys

Melaka City, Malaysia - St Paul's Church

Once you reach the top of the hill from the A'Fomosa, there is St Paul's Church. There is a small tower and statue of St Francis Xavier that was built long after the church was constructed. The walls of the church remain intact but much of the roof is no longer there and you can see the sky above from inside. You can walk around the church and observe the view down the hill.

Personally the view from the hilltop is not that spectacular. However, the top does give an all round view of the surrounding areas. You can observe the the Dutch-built Stadthuys buildings, Portuguese built A'Formosa, low rise buildings built during the British colonial era and the Melaka River. Further on, you can observe the Melaka Megamall - not much of a historical site but one of the larger shopping malls in Melaka.

St Paul's Church

Inside St Paul's Church

View of from the grounds of St Paul's Church

Melaka City, Malaysia - The Ruins of A'Famosa

The Portuguese had interests in Melaka (Malacca) in the early 16th century as part of their plans to establish strategic trading posts along the coast of Asia. The Portuguese captured Melaka in 1511 from the ruling Melaka Sultanate and constructed a fortress named A'Formosa around a hill. The Portuguese also built a Catholic church named St Paul's Church on top of the hill. When the Dutch captured Melaka from the Portuguese in the 17th century, they converted the church and the area around it into a burial ground.

Then came the British in 1826, when the Dutch gave up Melaka to the British under the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824. The British did not have much use for the A'Formosa and destroyed most of the fortress until Sir Stamford Raffles (Governor-General of the British East Indies at the time) stopped further destruction. What remains of the A'Formosa today is just an entrance to the former fortress, which you can pass through very quickly.

The A'Famosa

Walking up to St. Paul's Church from the A'Famosa

Street artist along the walk to the A'Famosa