St. Paul's Church - the oldest Christian temple in Malaysia
Malacca - large peninsula V South-East Asia, which is divided between the countries of Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia, which owns its southern part. It is on the Malay Peninsula that most of the country's resorts are concentrated. These are the states of Terengganu and Kelantan, and Largest cities- Kuala Lumpur and Ipo. In addition, the town of the same name Malacca is also noteworthy.
How to get to Malacca
Travel time from Kuala Lumpur is approximately 2.5 hours.
Search for flights to Kuala Lumpur (nearest airport to Malacca)
Entertainment and attractions of Malacca
The sights of the city of Malacca include the ruins of the Portuguese fortress founded by Albuquerque, and the church of St. Paul (1521), in which the body of Francis Xavier rested until 1553. In addition, the Museum of Culture, A’Famosa Fort, Stadhuis Town Hall, Christ Church, Cheng Hung Teng Temple and the souvenir street of Jonkers Street are worth seeing.
A tour of the city should start with the historic Malacca River. Next to it, on Jalan-Tun-Tan-Cheng-Lok Street, there are the most exquisite examples of the architectural heritage of “baba-nyonya”. Jalan-Hang-Lekiu opens onto Jalan-Tokong Street, where the Buddhist "Temple of Green Clouds" Cheng-Hun-Teng stands. From here it is worth walking to Jalan Tukang Besi, to the Hindu temple of Sri Poyyatha Viyanagar. Then, return again to the river and cross it, get to Jalan-Kota Street, which goes around Dutch Square ("Dutch Square") and St. Paul's Hill. Here is the Church of Christ, next to which is the Main Post Office. The oldest buildings Malacca is located close to St. Paul's Hill: the Dutch town hall Stadhuis, the ancient Portuguese bastion of Porta de Santiago, the Sultan's Palace - copies of real palace buildings 15 in (it houses the Museum of Culture of Malacca). Directly opposite the palace is the Memorial of the Declaration of Independence.
Unique souvenirs made by local artisans can be found at Glatton's Corner, and a great dinner can be found in Malacca's Portuguese Village.
Popular hotels in Malacca
Kuala Lumpur and South Malacca
- Where to stay: In the main city of the Malay Peninsula and all of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, tourists will find a great variety of hotels - from budget "kopeck pieces" in "little India" and other colorful neighborhoods to expensive and high-quality hotels in historical center. Johor Bahru will appeal to lovers of "excursion", and it is also the gateway to the Desar resort. We recommend accommodation in Kuantan to fans of both the beach and excursions, and Tioman is definitely worth going to those who cannot imagine life without diving and contemplating fantastic nature.
- What to see: Petronas Towers, National Monument, Batik Factory and Chinese Temple
St. Paul's Church is one of the main attractions of the first capital of Malaysia - Malacca. This temple is the oldest of the Christian ones on the territory of this state. In our time, this attraction is the ruins of the temple (only the entrance and part of the supporting structures have been preserved) and a monument to St. Francis Xavier. Dutch tombstones from the 17th century can be seen in and around the church.
St. Paul's Church is located on a hill near another historical monument- Gate of Saint James.
Malacca during the Portuguese colonization of 1511-1641 was constantly under the threat of attack. Therefore, the Portuguese built Fort A "Famos on St. Paul's Hill. Today this hill is located in the city center and has a breathtaking view of the sea.
The fort contained a castle, warehouses, an assembly hall of the Portuguese consulate, houses and five churches. Among them was the Church of St. Paul. It was originally a small chapel Nosa Senhora or the Church of the Annunciation, which was erected in 1521 by captain Duarte Coelho, who miraculously escaped while sailing on South China Sea. Portuguese sailors spent minutes of prayer in this chapel. Duarte Coelho intended to make it the main Catholic temple of the city.
In the middle of the 16th century, Saint Francis Javier, who was a Christian missionary and founder of the Jesuit order (Society of Jesus), rested in the chapel for 9 months. He died on Shangchuan Island on December 2, 1552. His body was buried in St. Paul's Church in 1553. After the remains of Francis Javier were moved to Goa. Near the church of St. Paul, a marble monument was erected to the saint in 1952. Today, the work of Saint Francis Javier is highly regarded by the Roman Catholic Church.
Having recaptured Malacca from the Portuguese in 1641, the Dutch renamed the chapel the Church of St. Paul. It served as a temporary prayer temple for Christians. After the Dutch built the Church of Christ in 1773, St. Paul's Church gradually fell into disrepair and this place was used for burial.
To date, only the entrance and part of the supporting structures have been preserved from the Church of St. Paul. Only luxurious decoration reminds of the significance of the temple in the old days. In the church one can see 17th century Dutch tombstones with stunning carvings, a 16th century tomb containing the remains of Saint Francis Xavier. A statue of the saint is placed near the abandoned lighthouse. At the foot of the hill is a cemetery. Of the slightly less than forty burials, only five are Dutch, dating back to the 17th century, the rest are the graves of the Malacca English of the last century.
The Church of Christ that replaced it became the main city temple of Malacca. It was built of pink bricks, which were brought from Holland. In the temple there are handmade benches made 200 years ago, memorial plaques.
In 1710, in Malacca, the descendants of the Portuguese erected the church of St. Peter, as the Dutch took away the church of St. Paul from them. It is the oldest Catholic church operating in Malaysia.
CITY
The historical part of the city is divided in two by a small river, Malacca, which has been turned into a beautiful canal. On the right bank are the famous Chinatown and Jonker Street.
Jonker Street
This is one of the central streets of the right bank, along which you can go to the river, cross the bridge and find yourself on Dutch Square.
On Jonker Street there are souvenir shops, coffee houses, kitchenettes designed for tourists. Interesting architecture - old nice houses.
Although the street starts with a sign jonker walk, traffic on a rather narrow roadway is not prohibited. The pedestrian street becomes only in the evening on weekends. At that time Jonker Street turns into a night market, all over the street there is a trade in clothes, food, souvenirs, dishes, knick-knacks.
Weekend Jonker street - night market
One of the features Jonker Street This is a non-smoking area. However, if you turn into the nearest alley ...
Jonker Street is non-smoking
Chinatown
IN Chinatown there are several "official" attractions of Malacca. But almost every building in the area is unique, a monument of architecture and history.
It is best to walk along the old streets early in the morning or late in the evening in order to be able to walk slowly, not roasting in the sun, stopping and paying attention to details, nuances, gizmos. We walked along one of these streets no more than a kilometer long for two hours 🙂
On the old streets of Malacca it is interesting to look into every nook and cranny
You need to look not only around, but also under your feet. You can find a treasure.
In some streets of Malacca, even sidewalks are decorated.
Clan House Eng Choon Association
We mistook the Chinese clan house of the Eng Choon association for a temple. Such houses were built both in Malacca and in Georgetown. The clan house on the old street of Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock belongs to people from the Chinese province of Fujian and was built in 1800. Representatives of Fujian settled in Malacca and Penang several centuries ago.
Usually, the more luxurious the clan house, the richer and more influential the representatives of this clan.
The entrance to the clan house is decorated very skillfully
Kampung Kling Mosque
Masjid Kampung Kling- one of the oldest mosques in Malacca. In 1748, it was built of wood by Indian Muslims. In 1872 it was rebuilt in stone. The architecture, which is not quite familiar to mosques, is explained precisely by the fact that the Indians built it. Today this temple is visited mostly by Malay Muslims. At least, living in a family hotel opposite, we did not see Hindu parishioners. At dawn and dusk, the adhan is heard from the mosque - the call to prayer.
The mosque is on the street Jalan Tukang Emas, 25.
Gym
The gym in Chinatown can be attributed to the sights of Malacca. And not only because he bears the name of the "father of Malaysian bodybuilding" Dr. Gan Boon Leong, who received the titles "Mr. Malaysia" and "Mr. Asia" in the 50s. Mr. Boone's wife is in charge of the gym - a very talkative, inquisitive old woman. I talked to her for literally three minutes, but during this time she managed to tell almost the entire story of her large family.
The hall, by the way, is quite large, but many of the simulators seem to be the same age as Mister Asia itself. locals are engaged for free, and foreigners for a nominal fee of 5 ringgits.
The hall is on the street Jalan Kubu, to the left of the gate jonker walk. Open from 10.00 to 19.00 daily.
In the gym you can meet the wife of "Mr. Asia"
Embankment of the Malacca River
The canal with a long embankment is undoubtedly the main attraction of Malacca. The length of the equipped embankment is approximately three kilometers. If you walk along the embankment back and forth along both banks, it will take half a day. Because along the way there are a lot of interesting decorations, details that just ask for a lens.
River trams run along the canal from morning until late at night. You can cruise on them. The ticket price for a farang is 15.9 ringgit. Walking and boating experiences are exciting, but very different.
Cruises on river trams- a favorite pastime for tourists
The buildings along the canal have partially retained their historical appearance. Many are elaborately painted. A whole gallery in the open air!
Building on Jalan Tukang Emas Street
If you move along the left bank in the direction against the current, you can find yourself on a suspension path.
"Roman" columns over the Malacca River
However, the small canal has several curious bridges that are not similar to each other. Which are attractions in their own right.
New very beautiful pedestrian bridge
If you look closely, you can see monitor lizards basking in the sun on the rocks near the water.
Monitor lizards are not afraid of a large number of tourists
Downstream towards the sea is an old water mill.
The water mill now serves museum exhibit and embankment decoration
Having reached the mouth of the river, you will see the sea, more precisely, the Strait of Malacca. Unfortunately, there is no beach in Malacca.
Here is the sea! With ships but no beach
dutch square
The busiest tourist place left bank - Dutch Square. It is curious that on the Internet it is just not called! And Portuguese, and Danish, and even Red.
Several attractions of Malacca are concentrated in this place at once: Christ Church, Queen Victoria Fountain, clock tower ( clock tower), Museum of History and Ethnography. Very close - the embankment and the bridge, crossing which you will find yourself on Jonker Street. St. Paul's Church(St. Paul's Church) is also a stone's throw away.
There is also a tourist information center and cycle rickshaws are based here.
Cycle rickshaws are decorated with artificial flowers and move to cheerful music
Church of Christ
Church of Christ in Malacca - the oldest (1741 - 1753) functioning Protestant temple in Malaysia.
The church was built by the Dutch and was originally white. The relic turned red in 1911, along with neighboring buildings.
On weekends and Christian holidays, services are held in the Church of Christ, and on different time in different languages: English, Malay, Chinese.
The interior design of the Protestant church is very modest.
Queen Victoria Fountain
The fountain was opened in 1901 in honor of the anniversary of the British Queen Victoria. The inscription on the fountain reads: "Erected by the people of Malacca in memory of the great queen."
Presumably, it is the only functioning fountain of the colonial era in Malaysia.
The fountain was in the very center of Dutch Square, opposite the Church of Christ. This is the most attractive place for photo shoots - both for tourists and for locals.
At sunset, the fountain turns orange-gold
St. Paul's Church
From Dutch Square, it's a stone's throw to the hill, on which St. Paul's Church flaunts. The temple, built by the Portuguese in 1521, has been partially preserved. It is known that at one time the famous missionary St. Francis Xavier served in the church.
When the Church of Christ appeared at the end of the 18th century, St. Paul's Church was almost abandoned and began to collapse. At the beginning of the 19th century, it was used by the British as a powder warehouse.
St. Paul's Church - the oldest christian temple Malacca
From the hill you have a nice view of the city. And even the sea on the horizon.
View of the Strait of Malacca from the west side of St. Paul's Hill
Fortress of A'Famosa
Go down the hill of St. Paul to the opposite side of the Dutch Square and you will find the remains of the fortress of A'Famosa - the gate of Porta de Santiago.
The fortress was built in 1511 in honor of the victory of the Portuguese over the troops of the Malacca Sultanate. Then they captured Malacca. 130 years later, the fortress passed into the hands of the Dutch. At the beginning of the 19th century, it became a colony of the British. The British decided that they did not need the fortress and ... demolished it, leaving only the gate.
Local musicians and artists settled in the arch of the gate
Museum of the Proclamation of Independence
Opposite Porta de Santiago is the Museum of the Proclamation of Independence, which contains historical documents, photographs that tell how colonial Malaysia went to its Federation for a long and difficult time.
The museum was opened in 1985, on the 38th anniversary of Malaysia's independence.
Near the museum there are several copies of military equipment.
Mini-exhibition of armored vehicles
Independence Park
Two hundred meters from St. Paul's Church is the compact Independence Park (Taman Merdeka). The most remarkable thing about it is a huge, sprawling tree that casts a shadow over half the park. How old is he? Does it remember colonial times?..
The trees in the park surely remember colonial times
Another highlight of the park locomotive museum. He is constantly on the move, judging by the sounds that rush from the speakers on him. Inside are souvenirs. They are for sale. But people come here not for shopping, but to be imprinted.
Inside the car there is a souvenir shop
lookout tower
lookout tower ( Taming Sari Tower) is not so much an attraction as an attraction that allows you to see Malacca from a height of 80 meters. True, it is unlikely that you will be able to take a picture ... The tower is located next to Independence Park. 
Replica ship Flor de la Mar
Moving from Independence Square towards the sea, you will bump into a copy of the Portuguese ship of the 14th century. The real one sank more than one century ago. And a copy, created in 1994 according to the surviving descriptions of the original, adorns the coast and is part of the maritime museum.
There is a museum exhibition inside the ship
Church of Saint Francis Xavier
The temple was built by the French in 1856 in honor of the famous missionary Francis Xavier. Located 5 minutes walk from Dutch Square.
The church has a noticeable slope
Malacca Island
It is located very close to the coast and is connected to the mainland (city) by a bridge. Malacca Island ( Pulau Melaka) is a future landmark. Now there is a rapid construction, a grandiose project is being implemented.
In the next three years, they intend to build marinas, a floating stadium, hotels, including a luxurious seven-star :), retail, entertainment, cultural centers. Asia's largest passenger port will appear, which will be able to receive cruise ships. And there will finally be a beach in Malacca.
The project is actively supported by federal and local authorities. In the first year after the opening, it will attract 900,000 tourists, in the next year the tourist flow will increase to 2-2.5 million people a year. These are the expectations and plans. It remains to wait a little.
Melaka Gateway sign already in place
The opening of the project is scheduled for 2018, and the full completion of work - by 2025.
RM40 billion to be invested in Melaka Gateway
Here we were not
We have lost sight of this pretty corner of Malacca. We took a picture on the go, but did not walk. You will be in Malacca - drop by and tell us, OK?
Jalan Laksamana Street 1
Map of attractions in Malacca
All interesting places located within the city are marked on the map:
NEIGHBORHOOD
In the vicinity of Malacca, there are several attractions that are worth seeing if you have free time. Each of the places can be reached by one of the city buses. They depart from the bus station Melaka Central.
Mini Malaysia
Approximately 20 kilometers north of Malacca, in the area of the town Ayer Keroh created ethnographic park"Mini Malaysia" ( Mini Malaysia & ASEAN Cultural Park Melaka). Shown here are examples of traditional dwellings from the 14 states of Malaysia. There is a pond, gazebos for recreation, non-working rides, some food and drinks, horses for small walk and ... macaques.
Unfortunately, a significant part of the houses are now under reconstruction and closed to the public.
Price- RM24/adult.
How to get there? Buses that depart from the platform № 14
bus station Melaka Central.
Direction —
Ayer Keroh.
Inside the houses - household items, furniture, national musical instruments
Attractions, as well as some of the houses, are closed to visitors
Botanical Garden
From "Mini Malaysia" to the Botanical Garden ( Melaka Botanical Garden) is a 10 minute walk. Need to go to opposite side highway and go a little back towards Malacca.
Botanical Garden Malacca is very inferior to the Botanical Garden in Penang. And in size, and in content, and in grooming. Malacca Park - something like a site on the border with the jungle - with asphalt paths, which are fun to walk or ride a bike. You can hardly see the sun because of the trees, the park is shady and rather cool.
Price? For free.
Small waterfall at the entrance to the Botanical Garden
In the jungle you can meet such a beast
Completely broken bicycles are rented at the entrance to the Botanical Garden.
A bicycle with damaged brakes will make a trip unforgettable.
Another remarkable place next to "Mini Malaysia" and botanical garden- zoo. We can't say anything specific about this place. We are not fans of looking at animals in cages, so we took a picture of the gate and passed by.
Entrance to the zoo
Lake near the zoo
Not far from the zoo we found a nice lake. One shore is a municipal, public, the other is a private, closed, golf club. On the "folk" - you can eat and drink in a cafe, go to the toilet, take a walk or go fishing. There is a rental of catamarans.
For those who wish, only one side of the lake is accessible.
fruit farm
You can see how various tropical fruits grow at the fruit farm ( Melaka Tropical Fruit Farm). This is a huge hilly green area with a pond, good paths, paddock horses, guest houses and so on. And of course - plantations and greenhouses where fruit crops grow. Alas, in March it was not the season: there were no fruits. The girls at the reception warned us honestly about this. Nevertheless, we walked around and even found a few copies.
The map of the fruit farm shows a mini-zoo, but we only found two horses fed with corn kernels.
The mini-zoo has shrunk to two horses
Swimming is prohibited in the pond. Are there really eccentrics who want to swim in the thickets of water lilies? ..
The pond is overgrown and still beautiful
Price? We paid about RM14 for two. In return, they received a farm map, two bottles of natural fruit juice, two bags of corn kernels.
How to get there? Fruit farm set up next to the town Sungai Udang. From Melaka Central buses go from the platforms 3 and 4.
Map of attractions in the vicinity of Malacca
The map shows the places in the vicinity of the city, which we visited using city buses.
In the southwest, on the coast of the Malacca River, there is a bright brick-red building - the old Protestant Church of Christ. It is one of the most popular and photographed sites in the city. That is why every tourist who comes to Malacca is obliged to visit the Church of Christ.
History of Christ Church in Malacca
In 1641, the city passed from the Portuguese Empire to Holland, which was the reason for the prohibition of Roman Catholicism on its territory. St. Paul's Church was renamed Bovenkerk and served as the city's main church. In 1741, in honor of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Dutch power, it was decided to build a new cathedral in Malacca. In 1824, in honor of the signing of an agreement on the transfer of the city under the leadership of the British East India Company, the cathedral in Malacca was renamed Christ Church.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, the building was painted white, which favorably distinguished it from neighboring buildings. In 1911, the color of the Church of Christ in Malacca changed to red, which became its hallmark.
Architectural style of Christ Church in Malacca
The building has a rectangular shape. With a ceiling height of 12 m, it is 25 m long and 13 m wide. Christ Church in Malacca was built in the Dutch colonial style. That is why its walls were erected from Dutch bricks, and the roof is covered with Dutch tiles. Granite blocks were used to finish the floors of the Church of Christ in Malacca, which originally served as ballast on merchant ships.
The design of the windows of the cathedral was taken up after the capture of the city by the British authorities. At the same time, the original windows were significantly reduced in size. The porch and sacristy of the Church of Christ in Malacca were erected only by the middle of the 19th century.
Artifacts of Christ Church in Malacca
The oldest Protestant cathedral in the city is interesting not only for its unusual architectural style, but also for its rich collection of religious artifacts. Visitors to the Church of Christ in Malacca have the opportunity to get acquainted with such ancient exhibits as:
- Church bell. This object dates from 1698.
- Altar Bible. It is known for its brass cover, which is engraved with the words 1:1 from John in Dutch.
- Silver altar vessels. This artifact belongs to the early Dutch period. Although the vessels are in the possession of the church, they are kept in storage and are rarely displayed to the public.
- Memorial plaques and slabs. They are pavement blocks with inscriptions in Portuguese, English and Armenian.
In the Church of Christ in Malacca, you can sit on 200-year-old benches, buy souvenirs and church paraphernalia, thereby making a donation for its development. The entrance to the temple is free.
How to get to Christ Church?
To get to know this architectural monument, you should head to the southwestern part of the city. Christ Church in Malacca is located next to Jalan Laksamana Avenue and the Queen Victoria Fountain. Tourists traveling by car can reach the site from the city center in less than 10 minutes. To do this, you need to move south along road number 5, or Jalan Chan Koon Cheng.
lovers hiking it is better to choose the Jalan Panglima Awang road. In this case, the entire journey to Christ's Church will take approximately 50 minutes. Bus number 17 also stops next to it, following from the central station.
Sights of Malacca
1. Fort A "Famosa (A Famosa)
The remains of this Portuguese fort are among the oldest remaining intact European structures in all of Asia. Fort A "Famosa (Porta de Santiago) was built on a hilltop in the early 1500s to protect the conquered Portuguese from being captured by others European countries. The fort was needed to protect the Portuguese trade routes from Asia to Europe from the encroachment of Great Britain and Holland. In 1641 the Dutch East India Company took over the fort.
2. Christ Church
Built by the Dutch when they took Malacca and cleared it of the Portuguese, the Church of Christ is considered one of the city's most defining structures.Situated along Jalan Street (also known as Church Street), it is an instantly recognizable brick-red building with a huge white cross.Christ Church was built in 1753 to commemorate the centenary of the Dutch occupation. The church is considered the main attraction of Malacca during the Dutch colonial period.
3. Malacca Mosque (Masjid Selat)
The Malacca Mosque was built at the beginning of the 20th century on artificial island, quite far from tourist center Malacca. The mosque is designed in the traditional Moorish style, most of the mosque is painted white. One of the features are large stained glass arches in yellow and green. The building is especially beautiful at night when the lights are on. The mosque is considered one of the most beautiful sights in Malacca.
4. Sultan's Palace (Malacca Sultanate Palace)
This is not the original building, but a completely rebuilt palace. The Sultan's Palace was built in 1984 to showcase historical moments Malaysia. The building was built based on historical descriptions of the palace of Mansur Shah, the Sultan who ruled Malacca from 1456 to 1477.
5. Governor's House (Stadthuys)
This old Dutch building was built in 1650 as a city hall and home for the governor. The prior is painted red, like Christ Church and most of the other remaining Dutch colonial buildings in Malacca. Today, within its walls is a museum of history and ethnography of Malaysia.
6. Malacca Tower (Menara Taming Sari)
Menara Taming Sari or Malacca Tower is a 110-meter tower in the city center with a rotating observation deck with stunning panoramic views of the city. The tower is one of the main modern attractions of Malacca.
7. Cheng Hoon Teng Temple
Cheng Hong Dan Temple is the oldest temple in Malaysia, the first mention of it dates back to 1646. Three traditional Chinese teachings are practiced in the temple: Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. The temple was built according to the principles of feng shui and reflects the architectural style of Southern China, masters from Fujian and Guangdong. Temple Cheng Hong Dan is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin).