Light & Sound

The best way to learn up the history of Melaka. The Light and Sound show at Bandar Hilir, Padang Pahlawan is the first such project Southeast Asia. It is equal to other projects namely the Egyptian Pyramid at Gaze, the Acropolis at Athens, and the Red Fort at Delhi. Significant events in Melaka's history are re-enacted by means of lights, narrative, dialogue, music and relative sound effects to project real-life drama that will glue visitors to the seat. Highly educational yet entertaining, visitors to Melaka should make it a point to attend the show to understand Melaka, its food and its people.

Hang Tuah's Well

Located in Kampong Duyong where Hang Tuah was born and spent his childhood among four of his good friends who would later become the famous knights of Melaka.The well is said to be the abode of his soul which takes the apparition of a white crocodile. For a commoner to catch a glimpse of Hang Tuah is hardly likely. It is said that only the holy among us can ever hope to see the apparition.

Hang Tuah's Mausoleum

A fully decorated admiral of Melaka's naval forces who defended successfully, countless attacks against Malacca sovereignty from Siamese and Achenese fleets, Hang Tuah's outstanding performance as a military officer made him a legend that has graced many a court and the history of Melaka. Hang Tuah's bravery was discovered during his adolescence when he single handedly arrested a man who had ran amuck in the village called Kampong Duyong. His valiant act caught the Sultan's attention and he was called to the palace and conferred a knighthoods the youngest ever to be knighted.

Hang Jebat's Mausoleum

Hang Jebat was the champion of justice who died a tragic death. Hang Jebat was unceremoniously killed by Hang Tuah in a duel of honour that lasted 3 days and 3 nights. He ran amuck after suffering a fatal wound from Hang Tuah's dagger 'Keris Taming Sari.' In the name of justice to avenge the Sultan's hasty punishment against Hang Tuah for a crime he didn't commit. Hang Jebat was accused by Hang Tuah of 'derhaka' (contumacy). The duel between two of Malacca's most prominent knights has left a permanent question as to the moral behind Hang Jebat's aberrant reaction against authority and the conventions by which Hang Tuah exercised his conduct as a loyal subject of the Sultan.

A Famosa

A Famosa, or "The Famous" in Portuguese, is among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia. Once part of a mighty fortress, this tiny gate (called the Porta de Santiago) is all that is left of a once-mighty fortress. In 1511 a Portuguese fleet arrived under the command of Alfonso de Albequerque. His forces attacked and successfully defeated the armies of the native Sultanate. Moving quickly to consolidate his gains, Albequerque had the fortress built around a natural hill near the sea. Albequerque believed that Melaka would become an important port linking Portugal to the spice trade from China. At his time other Portuguese were establishing outposts in such places as Macau, China and Goa, India in order to create a string of friendly ports for ships heading to China and returning home to Portugal.The fort changed hands in 1641 when the Dutch successfully drove the Portuguese out of Melaka. The Dutch renovated the gate in 1670, which explains the logo "ANNO 1670" inscribed on the gate's arch. Above the arch is a bas-relief logo of the Dutch East India Company.

Do you Know about thiS ciTy??

Melaka is located on the Western Coast of Peninsular Malaysia facing the Straits of Melaka, about 147 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur and 245 kilometers from Singpore. Melaka is actually found sandwiched between the states of Negeri Sembilan and Johor. It can be reached by excellent roads from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Internally it is serviced by a very good network of roads leading to all the historical places of interest. It covers and area of 658 square kilometers and is divided into three districts namely Alor Gajah, Melaka Tengah and Jasin.
Melaka was founded by Parameswara (or Raja Iskandar) the last Malay ruler of Temasik (ancient Singapore) in 1396 when he and his followers retreated up the straits to Muar, then to Sungai Ujung before settling at Bertam near the estuary of Melaka River.
Finding the place of strategic location, he decided to make a permanent settlement there, naming it "Melaka" after the name of the tree he leaned against.
The Melaka Sultanate occupies a special position in the history of Malaysia. Its inauguration marked the beginning of the emergence of a new Malay empire. The birthplace of the Malay Sultanates and Malaysia's historic city, Melaka provided the stage on which the Portuguese, Dutch and English played out their roles in shaping the history.
In 1511, it fell to the hands of the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch in 1641 after a fierce battle. In 1795, Melaka was given to the British to prevent it falling to the French when the Netherlands was captured during the Napoleonic Wars. It was returned to the Dutch in 1818 under the treaty of Vienna but was later exchanged by the British for Bangkahulu, Sumatra. From 1826 onwards, the British East India Company along with Singapore and Penang governed it, under the Straits Settlement administration in Calcutta.
The Dutch, who held Melaka for over a century, left many fine buildings marking their heritage. The most imposing relic of the Dutch period is the Stadthuys, a strikingly pink town hall which is today the oldest Dutch building in the Far East. Right next to it stands the bright red Christ Church, constructed with pink bricks imported from Holland and covered with local red lacerite. Today, these buildings together with the ruins of the Portuguese built A Famosa and St. Paul's Church are the most prominent reminders of the Europeans' presence in Melaka.
After World War II, anti-colonial sentiment bred in the country among the nationalists, the result of which was the proclamation of Independence by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, Malaysia's first Prime Minister, at the Padang Pahlawan (Warrior's Field) at Bandar Hilir, Melaka on 20 February 1956.

History Of Melaka

The history of Melaka is often told from the foundation of the settlement by an exiled Hindu, SriVijayan prince, Parameswara. From a small fishing settlement, Melaka or Malacca (old name) grew to become one of the most prominent trading post in South East Asia. Malacca rose to prominence as a trading centre in the 15th century. Its position at the narrowest part of the Straits of Malacca in Peninsular Malaya, attracted traders from al over the world. The Arabs, Bugis, Dutch, Portuguese and English scrambled to gain control of this trading port........ read more at myMalaysiabooks...