The old town square of Melaka (Malacca), comprising a group of red-painted buildings that was once the centre of town during the period of Dutch rule, is sometimes referred to as Malaysia’s own “Red Square”. Situated around the landscaped square are the important buildings of the Dutch colonial administration, including the Christ Church (build in 1753 as a Dutch Reform church, but later converted by the British into an Anglican church) and the Stadthuys, seat of the former Dutch colonial administration (this building was constructed in 1641 when the Dutch conquered Melaka, and is now the oldest surviving Dutch building in the East).

Melaka is steeped in history. It was founded by Parameswara, an exiled prince from Sumatra, in year 1400, and thrived as a port-of-call by many ships and merchants from China, India and Arabia. In 1511, it was conquered by the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch in 1641 after a fierce battle. In 1795, it was given to the British to prevent it from falling to the French when the Netherlands was captured by France during the French Revolution. In 1818, it was returned back to the Dutch under the Treaty of Vienna but was later exchanged back to the British for Bencoolen (in Sumatra). From 1826 onwards, it was ruled by the English East India Company in Calcutta together with Singapore and Penanag under the British Straits Settlements administration. After World War II, Malaysia achieved independence from Britain and His Highness Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, made the proclamation of independence at the Padang Pahlawan (Warrior’s Field) at Bandar Hilir in Melaka on 20 Feb 1956.

The reason why the town was so coveted by the European powers in the past was its strategic location along the Straits of Melaka, and its control of the spice sea-route between Europe and the Far East. As the Portuguese writer Barbarosa wrote, “Whoever is Lord in Malacca, has his hand on the throat of Venice”. Thus it was a major port then, and its harbour bristled with the sails and masts of Chinese junks and spice-lader vessels from all over the hemisphere.

With the founding of Singapore by the British under Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819 and their establishment of a deep-water seaport there, the focus of trade and sea-plying vessels has since shifted from Melaka to Singapore.