Stories of Malacca’s Timeless Treasures

28.02.2012

In 2008, the city of Malacca on the west coast of the Malaysian peninsula was named a Unesco World Heritage Site. But with such recognition comes the danger of the slow, insidious process of gentrification. Thankfully, such a transformation has not yet besieged this historic coastal town. Today Malacca remains a place of considerable character and significant interest.

The heart of these attributes can be found at Malacca’s historical center, a small town square where the Dutch Stadthuys and the Protestant Christ Church stand.

The Stadhuys, or town hall, dates from the middle of the 17th century when it served as the residence of the Dutch governor, while the church was completed in 1753.

These buildings reflect the Dutch presence here, which began in the 1640s. But the Dutch were by no means the first outsiders to arrive — they were immediately preceded by Portuguese colonialists.

It has been some 500 years since the violent arrival of the Portuguese in Malacca, led by the explorer Afonso d’Albuquerque.

In August 1511, Albuquerque’s small fleet of ships proved too much for the resident sultan and his forces. Malacca was forcibly turned into a Portuguese colony until, in similarly violent circumstances, the Dutch took over in 1641.

The Dutch besieged the city, and much of what had been developed in more than a century of Portuguese rule was quickly destroyed. That process of destruction continued in the early 1800s when the Dutch, rather than allow Malacca to fall under Napoleonic French control, ceded it to the British.

But the British did not want a port such as Malacca to compete with its existing ports of call in the region, and so ordered the destruction of Malacca’s famed fort, A Famosa.

As in many places in Southeast Asia, the name Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles pops up in the history of Malacca. It is said that Raffles prevented the complete destruction of the fort by ordering that its gate be retained. That gate can still be visited today, and is surrounded small cannons. It sits at the foot of St. Paul’s Hill, named after the ruined church that stands at its top.

The climb to the church reveals a largely empty structure that was first built in 1521 by the Portuguese. When the Dutch took control, St. Paul’s became a place to bury their noteworthy dead. Quite a few of the huge Dutch tombstones still jut vertically within the shell of the building.

Just outside stands a statue of St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit priest who spent many years in Malacca. The statue was erected in 1952 to mark the 400th anniversary of his time here. He worked for education in the area and undertook missionary journeys to places like Japan and China. Xavier was buried near the church before his grave was moved to Goa in West India.

Upon first inspection, it seems that the statue of Xavier has been vandalized. Local legend has it that not long after the statue was erected, a tree fell on it and broke off part of the statue’s right arm.

In 1614, the Pope requested that part of the right arm of the saint’s remains be removed to become a holy relic — this act may have given birth to the saying, “I’d give my right arm.” The statue still stands, looking out to the Strait of Malacca.

Malacca, however, has not stood still; in fact it might even be said it has moved. The port eventually silted up and was no longer viable as a port town. But through land reclamation, the coast at Malacca has again been transformed, and is today very different from when Portuguese and Dutch ships landed here. In truth, a whole swath of the city’s land can be called newly reclaimed land.

From the top of St. Paul’s Hill, a 360-degree view of the city can be enjoyed, revealing how Malacca has expanded and indeed modernized to accommodate a population of more than 750,000 people. This represents a huge expansion in population from the time when heavy timbered galleons arrived at the port.

Looking down from St. Paul’s Hill, a recreation of a galleon can also be seen, making for a fascinating insight into the ancient sea-faring ships. Built between 1990 and 1994, the Malacca Maritime Museum houses a recreation of the Flora de la Mar, a 17th-century Portuguese ship that sank off Malacca before it could return home.

The recreation is both hugely impressive and informative. To access it, steep steps and ladders have to be traversed. Once “aboard” it is evident that the Flora de la Mar is not a full recreation. The hull of the ship is not equipped as it would have originally been and instead display cabinets provide for an educational visit.

The displays look at how maritime control was central to the history and reputation of Malacca. There are dioramas depicting key moments in the maritime affairs of the port, a gallery of paintings of local scenes and displays of weapons, cannonballs and guns from ships.

Its designation as a Unesco World Heritage Site has not deterred Malacca from adding modern and even funky contributions to the town.

Just a short walk from the Stadthuys and Christ Church and a stone’s throw away from the Malacca River is the Orangutan House, which acts as a studio, gallery and shop for the works of local artist Charles Cham.

Cham’s works are bold, colorful and, as they say, “contemporary,” which is reflected in the slightly outlandish decoration of the building.

Visitors to Malacca will likely be impressed with its intriguing and diverse history. The old is much in evidence here, but the new of Malacca has character and interest too, perhaps borne out of that history. Diverse cultures and ethnicities continue to offer a place of world heritage and renown.