St. Paul's Church is the oldest Christian temple in Malaysia. Church of Christ Church of Christ in Malacca

In the southwest, on the coast of the Malacca River, there is a bright brick-red building - the ancient Protestant Church of Christ. It is one of the most popular and photographed objects in the city. That is why every tourist coming 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 the Netherlands, which was the reason for the ban on Roman Catholicism on its territory. St. Paul's Church was renamed Bovenkerk and served as the main church of the city. In 1741, in honor of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Dutch power, it was decided to build a new cathedral. In 1824, in honor of the signing of the agreement on the transfer of the city to the leadership of the British East India Company, the cathedral in Malacca was renamed the Church of Christ.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, the building was painted white, which distinguished it from the background of neighboring buildings. In 1911, the color of the Christ Church in Malacca changed to red, which became its calling card.

Architectural style of Christ Church in Malacca

The structure has a rectangular shape. With a ceiling height of 12 m, its length is 25 m and its width is 13 m. The Church of Christ in Malacca was built in the Dutch colonial style. That is why its walls were built from Dutch bricks, and the roof was covered with Dutch tiles. Granite blocks were used to finish the floors of Christ Church in Malacca, which originally served as ballast on merchant ships.

The decoration of the cathedral's windows began 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 in 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 rich collection religious artifacts. Visitors to the Church of Christ in Malacca have the opportunity to get acquainted with such ancient exhibits as:

1. Church bell. This object dates back to 1698.
2. Altar Bible. It is famous for its brass cover, which is engraved with the words 1:1 of John in Dutch.
3. Silver altar vessels. This artifact dates back 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.
4. Memorial plaques and slabs. They are sidewalk 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. Entrance to the temple is free.

How to get to Christ Church?

In order to get acquainted with this architectural monument, you should head to the southwestern part of the city. Christ Church Malacca is located next to Jalan Laksamana and the Queen Victoria Fountain. Tourists traveling by car can get from the city center to the site in less than 10 minutes. To do this, you need to head south along Road No. 5, or Jalan Chan Koon Cheng.

For lovers hiking It is better to choose the Jalan Panglima Awang road. In this case, the entire journey to Christ Church will take approximately 50 minutes. Bus number 17 from the central station also stops next to it.

CITY

The historical part of the city is divided in two by the 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 Holland Square.
On Jonker Street There are souvenir shops, coffee shops, and kitchenettes designed for tourists. Interesting architecture - nice old houses.
Although the street starts with a sign Jonker Walk, traffic on the rather narrow roadway is not prohibited. The street becomes pedestrian only in the evenings on weekends. At that time Jonker Street turns into a night market, along the entire length of the street there is trade in clothing, food, souvenirs, dishes, and trinkets.

On weekends Jonker street - night market

One of the features Jonker Street- This is a smoke-free zone. However, if you turn into the nearest alley...

Jonker Street is non-smoking

Chinatown

IN Chinatown There are several "official" attractions in Malacca. But almost every building in this area is unique, an architectural and historical monument.
It’s best to walk along the old streets early in the morning or late in the evening, so that you can walk slowly, without getting burned 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 at your feet. You can find a treasure.

Even the sidewalks are decorated on some streets in Malacca.

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. Clan house on old street 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.
Typically, the more luxurious a clan's home, the wealthier and more powerful the members of that 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 from wood by Indian Muslims. In 1872 it was rebuilt in stone. The architecture, which is not quite usual for 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 sunset, the azan, the call to prayer, is heard from the mosque.
The mosque is located on the street Jalan Tukang Emas, 25.

Gym

The gym in Chinatown can be considered one of the attractions of Malacca. And not only because it 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. The gym is run by Mr. Boone's wife, a very talkative, inquisitive old lady. I talked to her for literally three minutes, but during that 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 exercise machines seem to be the same age as “Mr. Asia” himself. Locals They study for free, and foreigners pay a nominal fee of 5 ringgit.
The hall is located on the street Jalan Kubu, to the left of the gate Jonker Walk. Open from 10.00 to 19.00 daily.

IN gym you can meet the wife of "Mr. Asia"

Malacca River embankment

The canal with its 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 scenery, details that just beg to be captured by the lens.
Water buses run along the canal from morning until late evening. You can cruise on them. The farang ticket price is RM15.9. The walking and boating experiences are exciting, but very different.

Cruises on river buses- favorite entertainment for tourists

The buildings along the canal have partially preserved their historical appearance. Many are skillfully painted. A whole outdoor gallery!

Building on Jalan Tukang Emas

If you move along the left bank in the direction against the current, you can find yourself on a suspended 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 themselves.

New very beautiful pedestrian bridge

If you look closely, you can see monitor lizards basking in the sun on the rocks near the water.

Varanov is not afraid a large number of tourists

Downstream towards the sea is an old water mill.

The water mill now serves museum exhibit and decoration of the embankment

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 comes the sea! With ships but no beach

Holland Square

The busiest tourist place left bank - Holland Square. It’s curious that on the Internet they don’t call it anything! And Portuguese, and Danish, and even Red.
Several attractions of Malacca are concentrated in this place: the Church of Christ, the Queen Victoria Fountain, the clock tower ( Clock Tower), Museum of History and Ethnography. Very close there is an embankment and a 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 center here information Center and pedicabs are based.

Pedicabs are decorated with artificial flowers and move to cheerful music.

Church of Christ

Church of Christ in Malacca is the oldest (1741 - 1753) operating 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 in 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.”
It is believed to be the only functioning colonial-era fountain in Malaysia.
The fountain was in the very center of Holland Square, opposite the Church of Christ. This is the most attractive place for photo sessions - both for tourists and for locals.

At sunset the fountain turns orange-gold

St. Paul's Church

From Holland 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 partially survived. 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 gunpowder warehouse.

St. Paul's Church is the oldest Christian church in Malacca

The hill offers a glorious view of the city. And even the sea is on the horizon.

The western side of St. Paul's Hill overlooks the Strait of Malacca

A'Famosa Fortress

Descend from St. Paul's Hill in the opposite direction from Dutch Square and you will find the remains of the A'Famosa fortress - the gate of Porta de Santiago.
The fortress was built in 1511 in honor of the Portuguese victory 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 gate arch

Museum of the Proclamation of Independence

Opposite Porta de Santiago is the Museum of the Proclamation of Independence, which contains historical documents and photographs telling how colonial Malaysia walked long and hard towards its Federation.

The museum opened in 1985, on the 38th anniversary of Malaysia's independence.

Near the museum there are several examples 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, spreading tree that casts a shadow over half the park. How old is he? Does it remember colonial times?..

The trees in the park probably remember colonial times

Another feature of the park is locomotive museum. He is always on the move, judging by the sounds that come from the speakers on him. Inside are souvenirs. They are for sale. But people come here not to shop, but to take pictures.

There is a souvenir shop inside the carriage.

observation tower

Observation tower ( Taming Sari Tower) is not so much a landmark as an attraction that allows you to see Malacca from a height of 80 meters. True, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to take a photo... The tower is located next to Independence Park.


Replica of the ship Flor de la Mar

Moving from Independence Square towards the sea, you will come across a copy of a 14th-century Portuguese ship. The real one sank centuries ago. And a copy, created in 1994 based on surviving descriptions of the original, adorns the shore and is part of the maritime museum.

There is a museum exhibition inside the ship

Church of St. Francis Xavier

The temple was built by the French in 1856 in honor of the famous missionary Francis Xavier. Located a five-minute walk from Holland 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 attraction. Now there is rapid construction going on there, grandiose project.
In the next three years, they intend to build yacht marinas, a floating stadium, hotels, including a luxurious seven-star one:), shopping, entertainment, cultural centers. The largest passenger port in Asia will appear, which will be able to receive cruise ships. And Malacca will finally have a beach.
The project is actively supported by federal and local authorities. In the first year after opening it will attract 900 thousand tourists, in the next year the tourist flow will increase to 2-2.5 million people per year. These are the expectations and plans. We just have to wait a little.

Melaka Gateway sign already in place

The opening of the project is scheduled for 2018, and complete completion of work by 2025.

Melaka Gateway plans to invest RM40 billion

We haven't been here

We overlooked this pretty corner of Malacca. We took a photo while walking, but didn't walk around. If you're in Malacca, stop by and tell us, OK?

Jalan Laksamana 1

Malacca sightseeing map

All interesting places located within the city are indicated on the map:

NEIGHBORHOOD

There are several attractions in the vicinity of Malacca that are worth seeing if you have free time. Each location can be reached by one of the city buses. They depart from the bus station Melaka Central.

Mini Malaysia

About 20 kilometers north of Malacca, near the town Ayer Keroh The ethnographic park “Mini Malaysia” was created ( Mini Malaysia & ASEAN Cultural Park Melaka). Here are examples of traditional dwellings from 14 states of Malaysia. There is a pond, gazebos for relaxation, non-working attractions, some food and drinks, horses for a short walk and...macaques.
Unfortunately, a significant part of the houses are now located under reconstruction and is 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

The attractions, as well as some of the houses, are closed to visitors

Botanical Garden

From "Mini Malaysia" to the Botanical Garden ( Melaka Botanical Garden) - 10 minutes walk. You need to go to the opposite side of the highway and walk a little back, towards Malacca.
Botanical Garden Malacca is very inferior to the Botanical Garden in Penang. And in size, and in filling, and in grooming. Malacca Park is something like an area on the border with the jungle - with asphalt paths that are fun to walk on or ride a bike on. Because of the treetops, the sun is almost invisible; the park is shady and quite cool.
Price? For free.

Small waterfall at the entrance to the Botanical Garden

In the jungle you can find such a beast

At the entrance to the Botanical Garden, completely broken-down bicycles are available for rent.

A bicycle with bad brakes will make the ride 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 photo of the gate and walked past.

Entrance to the zoo

Lake near the zoo

Not far from the zoo we found a nice lake. One shore is municipal, public, the other is private, closed, golf club. In “folk” - you can eat and drink in a cafe, go to the toilet, take a walk or go fishing. There are catamaran rentals.

Only one side of the lake is accessible to those interested.

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, horses in a paddock, guest houses and so on. And of course - plantations and greenhouses where fruit crops grow. Alas, March was not the season: there was no fruit. The girls at the reception honestly warned us about this. Nevertheless, we walked around and even found a few specimens.

The map of the fruit farm shows a mini-zoo, but we only found two horses, which we fed with corn kernels.

The mini-zoo has shrunk to two bunks

Swimming in the pond is prohibited. 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 we received a map of the farm, two bottles of natural fruit juice, two bags of corn kernels.
How to get there? A fruit farm is located near the town Sungai Udang. From Melaka Central buses go from the platforms 3 and 4.

Map of attractions around Malacca

The map shows places in the vicinity of the city that we visited using city buses.

St. Paul's Church is one of the main attractions of Malaysia's first capital, Malacca. This temple is the oldest Christian temple on the territory of this state. In our time, this attraction represents the ruins of a temple (only the entrance and part of the supporting structures have survived) and a monument to Saint Francis Javier. 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- St James's Gate.
Malacca during the Portuguese colonization of 1511 - 1641 was constantly under threat of attack. Therefore, the Portuguese built Fort A" Famos on St. Paul's Hill. This hill today is located in the center of the city and has a stunning view of the sea.
The fort contained a castle, warehouses, a meeting hall of the Portuguese consulate, houses and five churches. Among them was St. Paul's Church. It was originally a small chapel, Nosa Senhora or Church of the Annunciation, which was erected in 1521 by Captain Duarte Coelho, who miraculously escaped while sailing the South China Sea. Portuguese sailors spent moments of prayer in this chapel. Duarte Coelho intended to make it the main Catholic church of the city.
In the mid-16th century, for 9 months, Saint Francis Javier, who was a Christian missionary and founder of the Jesuit Order (Society of Jesus), rested in the chapel. He died on Shangchuan Island on December 2, 1552. His body was buried in St. Paul's Church in 1553. Francis Javier's remains were then transported 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 valued 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 Christ Church in 1773, St. Paul's gradually fell into disrepair and the site was used for burials.
Today, only the entrance and part of the supporting structures have survived from the Church of St. Paul. Only the luxurious decoration reminds of the importance of the temple in bygone times. In the church you can see 17th century Dutch tombstones with stunning carvings, a 16th century tomb that contained the remains of Saint Francis Javier. There is a statue of the saint near the abandoned lighthouse. At the foot of the hill there 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 Malaccan English of the last century.
The Church of Christ that replaced it became the main city temple of Malacca. It was built from pink bricks that were brought from Holland. The temple contains handmade benches made 200 years ago and memorial plaques.
In 1710, in Malacca, the descendants of the Portuguese erected the Church of St. Peter, since the Dutch took away the Church of St. Paul from them. It is the oldest Catholic church operating in Malaysia.

Sights of Malacca

1. Fort 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 captured the fort.

2. Christ Church

Built by the Dutch when they took over Malacca and cleared it of the Portuguese, the Church of Christ is considered one of the city's most defining structures.Located along Jalan (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 traditional Moorish style, most of The mosque is painted white. One of the features is the large stained glass arches in yellow and green. The building is especially beautiful at night when the lights turn on. The mosque is considered one of the most beautiful attractions in Malacca.

4. Malacca Sultanate Palace

This is not the original building, but a completely rebuilt palace. The Sultan's Palace was built in 1984 to showcase Malaysia's historical moments. 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 the city hall and home for the governor. The Do is painted red, like Christ Church and most of the other remaining Dutch colonial buildings in Malacca. Today, within its walls there is a museum of history and ethnography of Malaysia.

6. Malacca Tower (Menara Taming Sari)

Menara Taming of the Sari or Malacca Tower is a 110 meter tall tower in the city center with a rotating observation deck, which offers 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. The temple practices three traditional Chinese teachings: Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. The temple was built according to the principles of Feng Shui and reflects the architectural style of Southern China, craftsmen from Fujian and Guangdong. Temple Cheng Hong Dan is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy (Guan Yin).

Tours for May Worldwide

Malacca is a large peninsula in South-East Asia, which is shared by the countries of Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia, which owns its southern part. It is on the Malacca Peninsula that most of the country's resorts are concentrated. These are the states of Terengganu and Kelantan, and Largest cities- Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh. In addition, the town of Malacca of the same name is also noteworthy.

How to get to Malacca

Travel time from Kuala Lumpur is approximately 2.5 hours.

Search for flights to Kuala Lumpur (the nearest airport to Malacca)

Entertainment and attractions in Malacca

Among the attractions of the city of Malacca are 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. Also worth exploring are the Cultural Museum, Fort A'Famosa, Stadhuis Town Hall, Christ Church, Cheng Hong Teng Temple and Jonkers Street souvenir street.

A city tour should start with historical river Malacca. Next to it, on Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lok, are the most exquisite examples of Baba Nyonya architectural heritage. Jalan Hang Lekiu faces Jalan Tokong Road, where the Buddhist "Temple of Green Clouds" Cheng Hong Teng stands. From here it is worth walking to Jalan Tukang Besi, to the Hindu temple of Sri Poyiyatha Viyanagar. Then, return again to the river and cross it to get to Jalan Kota, which goes around Dutch Square (Dutch Square) and St. Paul's Hill. The Church of Christ is also located here, next to which the Main Post Office is located. The oldest buildings in Malacca are located near St. Paul's Hill: the Dutch town hall of Stadhuis, the ancient Portuguese bastion of Porta de Santiago, Sultan's palace- a copy of real palace buildings of the 15th century (this is where the Malacca Cultural Museum is located). Directly opposite the palace is the Proclamation of Independence Memorial.

Unique souvenirs made by local artisans can be found at Glatton's Corner, and great dining can be found at Malacca's Portuguese Village.

Popular hotels in Malacca

Kuala Lumpur and South Malacca

• Where to stay: In the main city of the Malacca Peninsula and throughout Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, tourists will find a great variety of hotels - from budget two-room apartments in “little India” and other colorful neighborhoods to expensive and high-quality hotels in historical center. Johor Bahru will appeal to lovers of sightseeing, and it is also the gateway to the Desar resort. We recommend accommodation in Kuantan to fans of both the beach and excursions, and those who cannot imagine life without diving and contemplating fantastic nature should definitely go to Tioman.
• What to see: Petronas Towers, National Monument, Batik Factory and Chinese Temple