UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
---|---|
Melaka, above, George Town, below | |
Location | Malaysia |
Includes | |
Reference | 1223bis |
Inscription | 2008 (32nd Session) |
Extensions | 2011 |
Area | 218.76 ha (540.6 acres) |
Buffer zone | 392.84 ha (970.7 acres) |
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.
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".
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.
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]
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.
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.
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Melaka Tengah 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.
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Pimachiowin Aki is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the boreal forest that covers parts of Manitoba and Ontario. The site is more than 29,000 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi) in area, and includes ancestral lands of four First Nations including Poplar River First Nation, Little Grand Rapids First Nation, Pauingassi First Nation, and Bloodvein First Nation. The area also includes the Manitoba Provincial Wilderness Park of Atikaki Provincial Park and the Ontario Woodland Caribou Provincial Park. The World Heritage Site's original proposal started with the signing of the Protected Areas and First Nation Resource Stewardship Accord in 2002. The name means land that gives life in Ojibwe.
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. Malacca City is 148 kilometres southeast of Malaysia's capital city Kuala Lumpur, 235 kilometres northwest of Johor's largest city Johor Bahru and 95 km northwest of Johor's second largest city, Batu Pahat.
Jōmon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan (北海道・北東北の縄文遺跡群) is a serial UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of 17 Jōmon-period archaeological sites in Hokkaidō and northern Tōhoku, Japan. The Jōmon period lasted more than 10,000 years, representing "sedentary pre-agricultural lifeways and a complex spiritual culture of prehistoric people".
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The Jonker Walk is the Chinatown area in Malacca City in the state of Malacca, Malaysia located along Jonker Street. It starts from across Malacca River near the Stadthuys, with the street in the area filled with historical houses along its left and right sides dating back to 17th century, many of which are shops selling antiques, textiles, foods, handicrafts and souvenirs such as keychains and shirts. The area turns into a night market every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the evening from 6 p.m. until 12 midnight, with its street blocked for traffic.
George Town, the capital city of the State of Penang, is the second largest city in Malaysia and the economic centre of the country's northern region. The history of George Town began with its establishment by Captain Francis Light of the British East India Company in 1786. Founded as a free port, George Town became the first British settlement in Southeast Asia and prospered in the 19th century as one of the vital British entrepôts within the region. It briefly became the capital of the Straits Settlements, a British crown colony which also consisted of Singapore and Malacca.