Excursion church of christ in malacca. Church of St.
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 100th anniversary of Dutch rule, 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 the Church of Christ.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, the building was painted white, which distinguished it favorably against the background of neighboring buildings. In 1911, the color of Christ Church in Malacca changed to red, which became its trademark.
The architectural style of Christ Church in Malacca
The structure is rectangular. With a ceiling height of 12 m, it is 25 m long and 13 m wide. The Church of Christ in Malacca was built in the Dutch colonial style. That is why its walls were built of Dutch bricks and the roof was covered with Dutch tiles. For the flooring of the Church of Christ in Malacca, granite blocks were used, which originally served as ballast on merchant ships.
The decoration of the windows of the cathedral was started after the capture of the city by the British authorities. At the same time, the original windows have been significantly reduced in size. The porch and sacristy of the Church of Christ in Malacca were not erected until 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 back to 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 dates back to the early Dutch period. Despite the fact that the vessels are in the possession of the church, they are kept in storage and are rarely displayed for public viewing.
- Memorial plaques and plates. 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. 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 Malacca is located next to Jalan Laksamana Avenue 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 move south on the road number 5, or Jalan Chan Koon Cheng.
For lovers hiking it is better to take the Jalan Panglima Awang road. In this case, all the way to the Church of Christ in will take about 50 minutes. Bus number 17, which runs from the central station, also stops next to it.
TOWN
The historical part of the city is divided in two by a small river Malacca, which has been turned into a beautiful canal. The famous Chinatown and Jonker Street are located on the right bank.
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 the Jonker Street there are souvenir shops, coffee shops, kitchens designed for tourists. Interesting architecture - old pretty 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 evenings on weekends. At that time Jonker Street turns into a night market, trade in clothing, food, souvenirs, dishes, trinkets is developing along the entire length of the street.
Weekend Jonker street - night market
One of the features Jonker Street Is a smoke-free area. However, if you turn into the nearest alley ...
No smoking on Jonker Street
Chinatown
V Chinatown there are several "official" attractions of Malacca. But almost every building in this area is unique, a monument of architecture and history.
It is best to walk along the old streets early in the morning or in the late afternoon, so that you can stroll leisurely, without getting baked in the sun, stopping and paying attention to details, nuances, and gizmos. We walked along one of these streets no more than a kilometer long π
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.
Some streets of Malacca even have sidewalks 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 Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock is owned by people from the Chinese province of Fujian and was built in 1800. Fujian representatives settled in Malacca and Penang several centuries ago.
Usually, the more luxurious a clan house, the richer and more influential the members of that clan.
The entrance to the clan house is very elaborate.
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 by exactly what the Indians built. Today this temple is visited mostly by Malay Muslims. At least, living in a family hotel opposite, we did not see any Hindu parishioners. At dawn and dusk, an adhan is heard from the mosque - a call to prayer.
The mosque is on the street Jalan Tukang Emas, 25.
Gym
The gym in Chinatown can be attributed to the attractions of Malacca. And not only because he bears the name of "the father of Malaysian bodybuilding" Dr. Gan Boon (Dr. Gan Boon Leong), who received the titles "Mr. Malaysia" and "Mr. Asia" in the 50s. The head of the gym is Mr. Boone's wife, a very talkative, inquisitive old woman. I talked to her for literally three minutes, but during this time she managed to tell almost the whole story of her large family.
The hall, by the way, is quite large, but many simulators seem to be of the same age as Mister Asia himself. Local residents study for free, and foreigners for a symbolic fee of 5 ringgit.
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 "Mister Asia"
Malacca River Embankment
The canal with its long embankment is undoubtedly the main attraction of Malacca. The length of the equipped embankment is about three kilometers. If you walk along the embankment back and forth on both banks, it will take half a day. Because on 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. The walking and boat experiences are exciting, but very different.
Cruises on river trams- favorite entertainment of tourists
The buildings along the canal have partially retained their historical appearance. Many are skillfully 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 end up on a suspended path.
"Roman" columns over the river Malacca
However, the small canal has several curious, different bridges. 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 are not scared by a large number of tourists
Downstream towards the sea - an old water mill.
The water mill now serves as a museum piece and embankment decoration
When you reach 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
Most lively tourist place left bank - Holland Square. It is curious that on the Internet it is not called as soon as possible! And Portuguese, and Danish, and even Red.
In this place, several attractions of Malacca are concentrated at once: the Church of Christ, the fountain of Queen Victoria, the clock tower ( Clock tower), Museum of History and Ethnography. Nearby 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 information center and cycle rickshaws.
The cycle rickshaws are decorated with artificial flowers and move to the cheerful music
Church of christ
Church of christ in Malacca - the oldest (1741 - 1753) active Protestant temple in Malaysia.
The church was built by the Dutch and was originally white. The relic turned red in 1911 - along with the 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 a Protestant temple 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 shoots - both for tourists and for locals.
At sunset, the fountain turns orange-gold
St. Paul's Church
It is a stone's throw from Holland Square 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 Saint Francis Xavier served in the church.
When the Church of Christ appeared at the end of the 18th century, the Church of St. Paul was almost abandoned and began to collapse. At the beginning of the 19th century, it was used by the British as a gunpowder store.
St. Paul's Church - the oldest Christian temple in Malacca
A glorious view of the city opens up from the hill. And even the sea is on the horizon.
The west side of St. Paul's Hill overlooks the Strait of Malacca
Fortress of A'Famosa
Go down the hill of St. Paul in the opposite direction to Holland Square and you will find the remains of the A'Famosa fortress - the gateway to 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 British colony. 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 the Porta de Santiago is the Museum of the Proclamation of Independence, which contains historical documents, photographs that tell how colonial Malaysia had a long and difficult path to its Federation.
The museum was opened in 1985, on the 38th anniversary of Malaysia's independence
There are several examples of military equipment near the museum.
Mini-exhibition of armored vehicles
Independence Park
Two hundred meters from St. Paul's Church there is a compact Independence Park (Taman Merdeka). The most remarkable thing about it is a hefty, spreading tree that casts a shadow over the half-park. How old is he? Does it remember colonial times? ..
The trees in the park will surely remember colonial times.
Another feature of the park - locomotive museum... He is constantly in motion, judging by the sounds that rush from the speakers on him. Inside are souvenirs. They are for sale. But people do not come here for shopping, but to be imprinted.
Inside the car there is a souvenir shop
Lookout tower
Observation 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 will hardly be possible to photograph ... The tower is located next to the Independence Park. 
Replica of the Flor de la Mar ship
Moving from Independence Square towards the sea, you will bump into a replica of a 14th century Portuguese ship. The present one sank centuries ago. 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 St. Francis Xavier
The temple was built by the French in 1856 in honor of the famous missionary Francis Xavier. Located five minutes 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, a grandiose project is being implemented.
In the next three years, they intend to build a marina, a floating stadium, hotels, including a chic seven-star :), shopping, entertainment, cultural centers... The largest passenger port in Asia, which will be able to receive cruise ships, will appear. And also a beach will finally appear in Malacca.
The project is actively supported by federal and local authorities. In the first year after the opening, it will attract 900 thousand tourists, in the next year, the flow of tourists will increase to 2-2.5 million people a year. These are the expectations and plans. It remains to wait a little.
The Melaka Gateway sign is already in place
The opening of the project is scheduled for 2018, and the full completion of the work by 2025.
Ringgit 40 billion planned to be invested in Melaka Gateway
We weren't here
We missed this pretty corner of Malacca. We took a picture on the go, but didn't go for a walk. If you are in Malacca, drop by and tell us, OK?
Jalan Laksamana Street 1
Malacca attractions map
Everything interesting places located within the city are indicated 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 leave from the bus station Melaka central.
Mini Malaysia
About 20 kilometers north of Malacca, in the area of ββthe town Ayer keroh ethnographic park "Mini-Malaysia" ( Mini Malaysia & ASEAN Cultural Park Melaka). Shown here are examples of traditional dwellings from 14 states in Malaysia. There is a pond, gazebos for relaxation, idle rides, some food and drinks, horses for a little walk and ... macaques.
Unfortunately, a significant part of the houses are now located under reconstruction and is closed to the public.
Price- 24 ringgit / adult.
How to get there? Buses that depart from the platform β 14
bus station Melaka Central.
Direction β
Ayer Keroh.
Inside the houses - household items, furniture, national musical instruments
Attractions, like 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 content, and grooming. Malacca Park is something like a site on the border of the jungle - with asphalt paths along which it is fun to walk or ride a bike. Because of the tree crowns, the sun is almost invisible, the park is shady, rather cool.
Price? Is 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 Gardens, completely broken-down bicycles are rented.
A bike with broken brakes will make the ride unforgettable.
Another notable place next to Mini Malaysia and the Botanical Garden is the zoo. We cannot say anything concrete about this place. We are not fond of looking at animals in cages, so we photographed the gate and walked by.
Entrance to the zoo
Lake near the zoo
We found a nice lake not far from the zoo. One bank is 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, walk or fish. There are catamarans for rent.
Only one side of the lake is available for those who wish
Fruit farm
You can see how various tropical fruits grow at the fruit farm ( Melaka Tropical Fruit Farm). It's huge hilly green area with a pond, good paths, horses in the paddock, guest houses and so on. And of course - plantations and greenhouses where fruit crops grow. Alas, in March was not the season: there was no fruit. The girls at the reception honestly warned us about this. Nevertheless, we took a walk and even found several copies.
There is a mini-zoo on the map of the fruit farm, but we found only two horses that were fed corn grains.
The mini-zoo has dried up to two bunks
Swimming is prohibited in the pond. Are there really weirdos who want to swim in the thickets of water lilies? ..
The pond is overgrown and still beautiful
Price? We gave about 14 ringgit for two. In return, we received a map of the farm, two bottles of natural fruit juice, and two bags of corn kernels.
How to get there? The fruit farm is set up near the town Sungai udang... From Melaka central there are buses 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.
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 in the territory of this state. Nowadays, this landmark is the ruins of a temple (only the entrance and part of the supporting structures have been preserved) and a monument to St. 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 the threat of attack. Therefore, the Portuguese built Fort A "Famos on the hill of St. Paul. This hill today is located in the center of the city and has a mesmerizing view of the sea.
The fort housed a castle, warehouses, a meeting room of the Portuguese consulate, houses and five churches. Among them was the Church of St. Paul. It was originally a small chapel of Nosa Senhora or Church of the Annunciation, which was erected in 1521 by Captain Duarte Coelho, who miraculously escaped while sailing in the South China Sea. Portuguese sailors spent minutes of prayer in this chapel. Duarte Coelho intended to make it the main Catholic church in 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 transported to Goa. A marble monument was erected to the saint in 1952 near the church of St. Paul. Today the activities of Saint Francis Xavier are 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. She 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 survived from the Church of St. Paul. Only luxurious decoration reminds of the importance of the temple in the old days. In the church you can see 17th century Dutch tombstones with stunning carvings, a 16th century tomb where the remains of St. Francis Javier were buried. There is a statue of a saint at the abandoned lighthouse. There is a cemetery at the foot of the hill. Of a little less than forty burials, only five are Dutch, dating back to the 17th century, the rest are the tombs of Malacca Englishmen of the last century.
The Church of Christ that came to replace became the main city temple of Malacca. It was built of pink bricks 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 the Church of St. Paul from them. It is the oldest active Catholic church in Malaysia.
Malacca is a large peninsula in South-East Asia, which is divided among themselves 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 Ipo. In addition, the eponymous town of 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 (closest airport to Malacca)
Entertainment and attractions of 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. In addition, the Cultural Museum, A'Famosa Fort, Stadhuis Town Hall, Christ Church, Cheng-Hun-Teng Temple and Jonkers Street are worth seeing.
You should start your city tour from the historical river of Malacca. Next to it, on Jalan-Tun-Tan-Cheng-Lok street, there are the most exquisite specimens. architectural heritage Baba nyonya. Jalan-Hang-Lekiu goes to Jalan-Tokong Street, where the Buddhist "Temple of Green Clouds" Cheng-Khun-Teng stands. From here it is worth walking to Jalan-Tukang-Besi, to the Hindu temple of Sri-Poiyatha-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. There is also the Church of Christ, next to which the Main Post Office is located. Oldest buildings Malacca is located close to St. Paul's Hill: the Dutch town hall Stadhuis, the old Portuguese bastion of Porta de Santiago, the Sultan's palace - copies of real palace buildings of the 15th century (it is here that the Museum of Culture of Malacca is located). The Independence Memorial was erected directly opposite the palace.
Unique souvenirs made by local artisans can be found at Glattons Corner, and a great dinner at the Portuguese Village of Malacca.
Popular hotels in Malacca
Kuala Lumpur and South Malacca
- Where to stay: In the main city of the peninsula of Malacca and the whole of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, tourists will find a great variety of hotels - from budget "kopeck piece" hotels in "little indies" and other colorful neighborhoods to expensive and high-quality hotels in historic center... Johor Bahru will appeal to fans of "excursion", and it is also the gateway to the resort of Desar. We will recommend accommodation in Kuantan to fans of both the beach and excursions, and those who cannot imagine life without diving and contemplation of fantastic nature should definitely go to Tioman.
- What to see: Petronas Towers, National Monument, Batik Factory and Chinese Temple
Attractions Malacca
1. Fort A Famosa
The remains of this Portuguese fort are some of the oldest surviving European structures in all of Asia. Fort A "Famosa (Porta de Santiago) was built on top of a hill in the early 1500s to protect the conquered Portuguese from capture by other 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 year the Dutch East India Company captured the fort.
2. Christ Church
The Church of Christ was built by the Dutch when they took possession of Malacca and cleared it of the Portuguese, the church is considered one of the most defining structures in the city.Located 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)
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 is the 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 landmarks in Malacca.
4. Sultan's Palace (Malacca Sultanate Palace)
This is not an original building, but a completely rebuilt palace. The Sultan's Palace was built in 1984 to showcase Malaysia's historical highlights. The building was constructed 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. Before is painted red like Christ Church and most of the other remaining Dutch colonial buildings in Malacca. Today, it houses the Museum of History and Ethnography of Malaysia.
6. Malacca Tower (Menara Taming Sari)
Menara The Taming of Sari or Malacca Tower is a 110-meter tower in the city center with a revolving observation deck, which offers a stunning panoramic view of the city. The tower is one of the main modern attractions of Malacca.
7. Cheng Hoon Teng Temple
Cheng Hong Deng 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 architectural style South China, craftsmen from Fujian and Guangdong. Temple Cheng Hong Deng is dedicated to the goddess of mercy (Kuan Yin).