A Famosa Fortress

Budget Tour: Full-Day Malacca Historical Tour

How to Get Around
Digital
480 minutes
English

See the historical and cultural sights of Malacca on a private 8-hour tour with an English-speaking professional driver who introduces you to the city's top attractions. You'll see landmarks including Porta De Santiago (A Famosa Fortress), St. Paul’s Church, Kampung Kling Mosque, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, and the Stadthuys.

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Budget Tour: Full-Day Malacca Historical Tour

Pickup included

From$63Per Person

What's included in Budget Tour: Full-Day Malacca Historical Tour

(Subject to Option Inclusions)

Itinerary

Stadthuys

The Stadthuys is a historical structure situated in the heart of Malacca City, the administrative capital of the state of Malacca, Malaysia in a place known as the Red Square. The Stadhuys is known for its red exterior and nearby red clocktower. The Stadthuys (an old Dutch spelling, meaning city hall) is a historical structure situated in the heart of Malacca City, the administrative capital of the state of Malacca, Malaysia in a place known as the Red Square. The Stadhuys is known for its red exterior and nearby red clocktower. It was built by the Dutch in 1650 as the office of the Dutch Governor and Deputy Governor. When Malacca was handed over to the British in the 19th century, the Malacca Free School was opened in the vicinity of the Stadthuys on 7 December 1826, by missionaries residing in the state, in response to a letter dated 19 April 1825, signed by a J. Humprey, J. W. Overee and A. W. Baumgarten, which called for an English institutional education to be built in Malacca. The school which the British provided free education to residents was eventually renamed Malacca High School in 1871 upon a takeover by the British government, and moved out to its present site at Chan Koon Cheng Road in 1931. Situated at Laksamana Road, beside the Christ Church, the supposed oldest remaining Dutch historical building in the Orient, is now home to the History and Ethnography Museum. Among the displays in the museum are traditional costumes and artefacts throughout the history of Malacca, which makes it Malacca's premier museum.

A Famosa Fort

"Porta de Santiago" redirects here. For the gate in Segovia, Spain, see Puerta de Santiago (Segovia). A Famosa (Malay: Kota A Famosa; "The Famous" in Portuguese) is a former Portuguese fortress located in Malacca, Malaysia. It is among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Southeast Asia and the Far East. The Porta de Santiago, a small gate house, is the only part of the fortress which still remains today. The name is often mispronounced /eɪ/ Famosa, even among Malaysians, as though the Portuguese definite article a were the English letter A. A more authentic pronunciation would be /ɑː/ Famosa. In 1511, a Portuguese fleet arrived under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque. His forces attacked and defeated the armies of the Malacca Sultanate. Moving quickly to consolidate his gains, Albuquerque had the fortress built around a natural hill near the sea. Albuquerque believed that Malacca would become an important port linking Portugal to the Spice Route in China. At this time other Portuguese were establishing outposts in such places as Macau, China and Goa, India to create a string of friendly ports for ships heading to Ming China and returning home to Portugal. The fortress once consisted of long ramparts and four major towers. One was a four-story keep, while the others held anammunition storage room, the residence of the captain, and an officers' quarters. Most of the village clustered in town houses inside the fortress walls. As Malacca's population expanded it outgrew the original fort and extensions were added around 1586. The fort changed hands in 1641 when the Dutch drove the Portuguese out of Malacca.[1] 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. The fortress changed hands again in the late 18th century when the Dutch handed it over to the British to prevent it from falling into the hands of Napoleon's expansionist France. The English were wary of maintaining the fortification and ordered its destruction in 1806. The fort was almost totally demolished but for the timely intervention of Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore, who was sent on sick leave from Penang to Malacca in 1807. It was Captain William Farquhar, tasked with the destruction of the fort and town, who decided to save two of the gateways to the fort, including the Santiago Gate, as well as the Stadthuys, church and jail.

St. Paul's Hill & Church (Bukit St. Paul)

St. Paul's Church is a historic church building in Malacca City, Malaysia that was originally built in 1521, making it the oldest church building in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. It is located at the summit of St. Paul's Hill and is today part of the Malacca Museum Complex comprising the A Famosa ruins, the Stadthuys and other historical buildings. The original structure was a simple chapel built in 1521 dedicated to the Virgin Mary and known as the Nossa Senhora da Annunciada(Our Lady of the Annunciation). The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea. The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God). A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.

Inclusions

  • Air-conditioned vehicle with English-Speaking Driver
  • Hotel Pick-up & Drop-off
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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Pickup and Dropoff

Choose to be picked up from a list of locations

Additional Information

Pick-up from any Hotels / Apartments / Guest House & Residence in Kuala Lumpur City

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Ticket Redemption

Direct access

Operator

MALAYSIAN TOURS RIYAS