Malacca City
Malacca City
Bandaraya Melaka 马六甲市 மலாக்கா நகரம் | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Malacca skyline | |
| Nickname(s): Bandar Raya Bersejarah ("Historical city") | |
| Country | Malaysia |
| State | Malacca |
| Established | 1396 |
| City status | 1989 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Yusof Bin Jantan |
| Area | |
• Total | 304.29 km2 (117.49 sq mi) |
| Population (2010)[2] | |
• Total | 483,679 |
| • Density | 1,589.53/km2 (4,116.9/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | Not observed |
| Website | www.mbmb.gov.my |
Malacca City is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Malacca. The Seri Negeri, the State Administrative and Development Centre which houses the Chief Minister's Office, the State Secretary's Office and the Legislative Assembly Hall is located in Malacca City. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with George Town of Penang on 7 July 2008.[3]
Geography
The city of Malacca is located on both sides of the Malacca River near its mouth into the Strait of Malacca. The historic central area of the city is located near the old coastline, includes St Paul's Hill with the ruins of the Portuguese fortress, A Famosa and the Dutch Square on the right (eastern) bank of the river, and the old Chinatown on the left (western) bank. The modern city has grown in all directions from this historic core, including to the south (because the present coastline of the Strait of Malacca is somewhat farther down to the south than its original location due to land reclamation). The "Chinese Hill" (Bukit Cina), where a large old Chinese cemetery is located, was formerly located to the northeast of the town, but now is surrounded by the city on all sides. Malacca river winding its way through the old town and the city centre.
History
The site where the city of Malacca stands today was the center of Malaccan history. It was the capital of the Malacca Sultanate and was the centre of the Malay world in the 15th and the 16th century after the Malays moved over from Sumatra and was the most prosperous Entrepôt and city of the Malay Archipelago before it fell to the hand of Portuguese in 1511. Centuries of colonization by the Portuguese, Dutch and the British as well as development of Straits Chinese (Peranakan) culture have influenced the architecture of the town, notably the Portuguese A Famosa, Dutch Stadthuys, and the Dutch, Chinese and British influenced traditional town houses.
Malacca Sultanate
Main article: Sultanate of Malacca
Portuguese rule
Main article: Portuguese Malacca
Dutch rule
Main article: Dutch Malacca
British rule
Main article: Straits Settlement of Malacca
Japanese occupation
Main article: Japanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak
Road to Independence
Main article: Hari Merdeka
Since the founding of Singapore in 1819, Malacca has been in decline as its port was silting up and Singapore and Kuala Lumpur have grown. Over the years, many Malaccans have moved to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital.
After World War II, anti-colonial sentiment developed amongst Malay nationalists which led to negotiations with the British and eventually the announcement of Independence by Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's first Prime Minister, at the Padang Pahlawan (Warrior's Field) at Bandar Hilir, in Melaka on 20 February 1956.
Read more in history of Malacca state.
The demolition of A Famosa
The British in Penang were temporary caretakers of the then Dutch-controlled Malacca during the Napoleonic Wars. However, they were reluctant to hand Malacca back because they feared it might jeopardize the development of their new settlement in Penang. Hence they decided to destroy the regional influence of Malacca by diverting trade away from Malacca to Penang, the British planned to destroy the Malacca Fort and its city and move the 15,000 people to Penang. It was envisaged that Malacca would not rival Penang in terms of trade when the Kew treaty of 1975 expires which orders the returning of Malacca back to Dutch hands if the city was demolished and depopulated.
The Governor of Penang ordered Captain William Farquhar to have the respective fort demolished in 1807. However during this time, Stamford Raffles who hails from Penang arrived in Malacca for his sick leave. He managed to rescind the demolition and depopulation process with the consent of Lord Minto, the Governor General of India. Raffles managed to save the archway of the Malacca Fort which can be seen to this day. The destruction of the Malacca Fort cost 70,000 sterling pounds and involved several hundred workers.[4]
Tourism
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Criteria | Cultural: ii, iii, iv |
| Reference | 1223 |
| Inscription | 2008 (32nd Session) |
Most tourist attractions are concentrated in its small city centre which encompasses Jonker Walk which houses Malacca's traditional Chinatown that exhibits Peranakan architecture. A Famosa Fort, St. Paul Hill are among the tourist attractions located in the Bandar Hilir, old city area. There are also numerous shopping centres located nearby. The Malacca Straits Mosque is located here. There are numerous islands which include Pulau Upeh near Klebang Beach (currently undergoing reclamation works) and Pulau Besar.
Transportation and access
Currently Malacca City is accessible via highway, railway, or Federal route/coastal road. Malacca City is approximately 130 km from Kuala Lumpur and 200 km from Singapore. People who wish to go to Malacca by train should board the Singapore-bound train in Kuala Lumpur Sentral and alight at Tampin station, where shuttle buses to and from places such as Jonker Street, Melaka Sentral and AEON Bandaraya Melaka Shopping Centre are available.
It was reported recently that under the 10th Malaysia Plan (RMK10), KTM is planning to reconnect the railway line from Tampin to Malacca City then Batang Melaka. The station will probably be in Batu Berendam (near the airport) or Melaka Sentral. There was a railway line from Tampin to Malacca City before World War II but was dismantled by the Japanese troops to build the infamous Death Railway in Burma. The railway line was never re-built after the British returned.
Twin cities
The City of Malacca has a twinned city status with seven cities, they are:
Lisbon, Portugal (16 January 1984)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (15 April 1989)
Hoorn, Netherlands (8 November 1989)
Valparaiso, Chile (23 June. 1991)
Nanjing, China (2001)- Yangzhou, China
Zanjan, Iran
Sights
European settlement
- A Famosa fortress (Porta de Santiago)
- Christ Church
- Stadthuys (Dutch administrative buildings)
- Saint Francis Xavier Church
- Portuguese Settlement
- St. John's Fort (Kota Senjuang)
- Ruins of St. Paul Church - Saint Francis Xavier was temporarily buried here; tombs of many Dutch dignitaries remain there
- St. Peter Church
- St. Theresa Church
- Victoria Fountain
Chinese settlement
- Bukit Cina cemetery
- Cheng Hoon Teng temple
- Geok Hu Keng temple
- Poh San Teng temple
- Jonker Street
Indian settlement
Malay settlement
- Hang Jebat mausoleum
- Hang Kasturi mausoleum
- Kampong Morten
- Kampung Kling mosque
- Tranquerah mosque
- Malacca Straits Mosque, a modern mosque on the shore of Malacca Island
- Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum
Climate and weather
Malacca’s weather is hot and humid throughout the year with rainfall, the intensity of which depends on the time of the year. Malacca features tropical rainforest climate, under the Koppen climate classification. The relatively stable weather allows Malacca to be visited all-year-round. Temperatures generally range between 30°C - 35°C during the day and 27°C - 29°C at night. It may get cooler after periods of heavy rainfall.
Generally, Malacca annual rainfall is below average of Malaysia annual rainfall. Usually, it rains in the evening after hot and humid afternoon. Malacca enjoys much sunlight during the day so it’s always warm and inviting to walk around the city. Ensure you wear light clothing, as the humidity can high and sunglasses are also quite useful.
| Climate data for Melaka City | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 32.0 (89.6) |
33.0 (91.4) |
33.0 (91.4) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.0 (89.6) |
31.0 (87.8) |
31.0 (87.8) |
31.0 (87.8) |
32.0 (89.6) |
31.0 (87.8) |
31.0 (87.8) |
31.75 (89.15) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.0 (73.4) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.0 (75.2) |
23.0 (73.4) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.0 (75.2) |
23.0 (73.4) |
23.75 (74.75) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 60.8 (2.39) |
60.0 (2.36) |
108.2 (4.26) |
146.2 (5.76) |
122.3 (4.81) |
111.0 (4.37) |
152.8 (6.02) |
161.1 (6.34) |
132.6 (5.22) |
139.3 (5.48) |
168.4 (6.63) |
95.1 (3.74) |
1,457.8 (57.39) |
| Source: [1] | |||||||||||||
References
- ^ Melaka State Government - About Melaka: Melaka Basic Data
- ^ "Laporan Kiraan Permulaan 2010". Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia. p. iii. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
- ^ Eight new sites, from the Straits of Malacca, to Papua New Guinea and San Marino, added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
- ^ http://sejarahmalaysia.pnm.my/portalBI/detail.php?section=sm01&spesifik_id=434&ttl_id=60
Notations
- De Witt, Dennis (2010). Melaka from the Top. Malaysia: Nutmeg Publishing. ISBN 978-983-43519-2-2.
External links
Capital: Malacca City, Administrative capital: Ayer Keroh | |||||||||||||||
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