Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

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Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca
UNESCO World Heritage Site
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Melaka, above, George Town, below
Location Malaysia
Includes
Reference 1223bis
Inscription2008 (32nd Session)
Extensions2011
Area218.76 ha (540.6 acres)
Buffer zone392.84 ha (970.7 acres)
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Historic City of George Town
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Historic City of Melaka

Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca is a UNESCO World Heritage listing [1] comprising the historic urban centres of two cities, Melaka and George Town, that illustrate 500 years of cultural and trade exchange between East and West.

Contents

This World Heritage site illustrates the development of maritime urban settlements in the region over time and the contributions of diverse ethnic and cultural groups in developing these cities. The government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications of Melaka demonstrate the early stages of this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate, which was followed by Portuguese and Dutch periods of control beginning in the early 16th century. George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century and features residential and commercial buildings of the period. In both cities, the cultural and architectural contributions of local Malays as well as Chinese and South Asian immigrants can be seen, and their own evolutions traced over times as well.

Melaka was inscribed in the listing using the Malay language spelling of the name, as opposed to the more traditional English language spelling of its name, "Malacca".

Inscription criteria

The listing was inscribed on the basis of Criterion (ii), "exhibit an important interchange of human values", [2] as the two cities are examples of multicultural trading forged from the exchange of Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures, and three successive European colonial powers over almost 500 years; Criterion (iii): "bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition", [2] as the cities’ multicultural heritage is expressed through the great variety of religious buildings of many faiths, ethnic quarters, languages, and festivals; and Criterion (iv): "an outstanding example of a type of building or landscape which illustrates a significant stage in human history", [2] as Malacca and George Town reflect a mixture of influences which created a unique architecture, culture and townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.

Inscription history

The listing was originally added to Malaysia’s Tentative List for World Heritage in 2001. The site was inscribed on the list in 2008 by the World Heritage Committee at its 32nd session in Quebec City, Canada. [3]

Singapore and Phuket, also located on the Strait of Malacca, share a history of multicultural colonial development very similar to that of Melaka and George Town and were assessed for possible inclusion in the listing. However, Singapore’s historic core underwent extensive demolition and redevelopment during the 1970s and 1980s, and remaining historic properties lack the integrity necessary for consideration. Phuket’s historical core is considerably smaller and lacks the rich built heritage found in Melaka and George Town. [4]

A minor boundary adjustment was made to the Melaka buffer zone to incorporate the gazetted Chinese cemetery in the Bukit Cina area, as had been recommended in ICOMOS’ original report in 2008. [5]

ICOMOS identified the main threats to the property to be tourism development pressure and traffic. In the longer term, climate change and rising sea levels may create flooding problems. ICOMOS recommended that these issues be addressed specifically in future management plans. [6]

World Heritage Sites

George Town

The UNESCO-designated site within downtown George Town comprises a 109.38 ha (270.3-acre) core zone surrounded by a 150.04 ha (370.8-acre) buffer zone. [5] This portion of the city centre is the oldest section of the entire city and reflects the British colonial era from the late 18th century. [3] It had been officially designated as a historic enclave in 1987. [6] The Penang Island City Council has identified 3,642 heritage buildings within both zones. [7]

Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca
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Historical landmarks within the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Click link at the top right corner to zoom in.

Melaka

The UNESCO-designated site within Malacca City comprises a 38.62 ha (95.4-acre) core zone surrounded by a 134.03 ha (331.2-acre) buffer zone. Located along both sides of the Malacca River and centred around St. Paul's Hill, this area reflects the historical significance of the 15th century Malacca Sultanate, as well as subsequent Portuguese and Dutch colonial periods. St. Paul's Hill had been officially designated as a heritage zone in 1988. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

The International Council on Monuments and Sites is a professional association that works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places around the world. Now headquartered in Charenton-le-Pont, France, ICOMOS was founded in 1965 in Warsaw as a result of the Venice Charter of 1964 and offers advice to UNESCO on World Heritage Sites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malacca City</span> City and state capital in Malacca, Malaysia

Malacca City is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Malacca, in Melaka Tengah District. It is the oldest Malaysian city on the Straits of Malacca, having become a successful entrepôt in the era of the Malacca Sultanate. The present-day city was founded by Parameswara, a Sumatran prince who escaped to the Malay Peninsula when Srivijaya fell to the Majapahit. Following the establishment of the Malacca Sultanate, the city drew the attention of traders from the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia, as well as the Portuguese, who intended to dominate the trade route in Asia. After Malacca was conquered by Portugal, the city became an area of conflict when the sultanates of Aceh and Johor attempted to take control from the Portuguese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cultural landscape</span> Landscape, which is permanently embossed by humans

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melaka Tengah District</span> Administrative district in Malacca, Malaysia

Melaka Tengah District, formerly known as Central District, is one of the three administrative districts in Malacca, Malaysia. It borders Alor Gajah District to the north and Jasin District to the east. The capital of the state, Malacca City, is located in this district. This district is the major destination of tourists in Malacca as most historical spots are situated within it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Penang</span>

The architecture of Penang reflects the 171 years of British presence on the island, coalescing with local, Chinese, Indian, Islamic and other elements to create a unique and distinctive brand of architecture. Along with Malacca, Penang is an architectural gem of Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Unlike Singapore, also a Straits Settlement, where many heritage buildings had to make way for modern skyscrapers and high-rise apartments due to rapid development and acute land scarcity, Penang's architectural heritage has enjoyed a better fate. Penang has one of the largest collections of pre-war buildings in Southeast Asia. This is for the most part due to the Rent Control Act which froze house rental prices for decades, making redevelopment unprofitable. With the repeal of this act in 2000 however, property prices skyrocketed and development has begun to encroach upon these buildings, many of which are in a regrettable state of disrepair. The government in recent years has allocated more funding to finance the restoration of a number of derelict heritage buildings, most notably Suffolk House, City Hall and historic buildings in the old commercial district.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malacca</span> State of Malaysia

Malacca, officially the Historic State of Malacca, is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca. The state is bordered by Negeri Sembilan to the north and west and Johor to the south. The exclave of Tanjung Tuan also borders Negeri Sembilan to the north. Its capital is Malacca City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 7 July 2008.

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References

  1. "Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca". UNESCO. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "The Criteria for Selection". World Heritage Convention.
  3. 1 2 3 "Evaluation of Cultural Properties WHC-08/32.COM/INF.8B.1" (PDF). World Heritage Convention.
  4. "Evaluation of Cultural Properties WHC-08/32.COM/INF.8B.1, pp. 76-77" (PDF). World Heritage Convention.
  5. 1 2 "Evaluation of Cultural Properties WHC-08/32.COM/INF.8B.1, pg. 79" (PDF). World Heritage Convention.
  6. 1 2 "Evaluation of Cultural Properties WHC-08/32.COM/INF.8B.1, pg. 78" (PDF). World Heritage Convention.
  7. "Draf Rancangan Tempatan Pulau Pinang (Pulau) 2030 Jilid 1". Penang Island City Council .