HERITAGE
Heritage Sites
Historical attractions of the Peninsular Malaysia are mainly marked with the country’s capital Kuala Lumpur, also with Penang state and its mainland area, and with Malacca, Kelantan states and others.
Kuala-Lumpur
History of Kuala Lumpur is inseparably linked with Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka) where the country independence was proclaimed. Near to the place, there are Moorish style buildings such as Sultan Abdul Samad Building palace, National Textile Museum and the century old famous KL Railway Station. In the opposite side of the palace is the Royal Selangor Club, whose members today are the elite of Malaysia. Near to the Merdeka Square, there is the Central Market (Central Market or Pasar Seni) selling artisanal crafts items. In a walking distance, you can visit Chinatown which in the evening turns into one huge marketplace, right here you can see Buddhist Chan See Shu Yuan temple and Hindu Sri-Mahamariamman temple. Little India is also located in the area, and is presented with a number of colonial buildings, numerous cafes and restaurants.
Penang
History of country is inseparably linked with Penang state which is enlisted into the UNESCO world heritage site, it boasts with a number of ‘must see’ historical places. They include the 19th century Kek Lok Si temple of 30 m height, also, built in the 1880s by the Chinese merchant Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion which today is turned a museum famous for being pictured in a number of the world-known movies, Kapitan Keling Mosque, the oldest and the largest Muslim temple built in about 1800, Fort Cornwallis, built in 1804 to defend Georgetown from pirates and the French, Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram, the Thai Buddhist temple, famous with its 33 m long lying statue of Buddha of 19th century, the picturesque traditional Chinese village Clan Jetties of 19th century built over water, Arulmigu Karumariamman Temple, the Hindu 22 m high tower.
You have a chance to go sightseeing by trishaws to know more about the Georgetown’s street art (the town is included in the UNESCO World Heritage), to ride along the Armenian Street, China Town, Queen Street, Lebuh Farquhar, Lebuh Lee, etc, and see pre-war houses. Festivals, both religious and national, are bright and unforgettable events of rich heritage.
Malacca
Malacca, which is also included into the cultural heritage of UNESCO, invites travelers to visit Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum with exhibits of unique mixture of Malay and Chinese (or Peranakan) traditions, furthermore, among prominent landmarks, Malacca offers the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, also Christ Church built in 1753 by the Dutch, a night market along Jonker Street in Chinatown, the Maritime Museum & Naval Museum with historical exhibits including medieval maps, ship models, weapons and other artifacts, then the ruins of the ‘A Famosa’ Portuguese fort (Porta de’ Santiago), as well as Stadhuys, the former town hall and the governor’s residence, which is considered the oldest Dutch colonial building in the East, nowadays having several museums.
Kelantan
Kelantan state heritage includes Bank Kerapu World War II memorial, bearing witness of Japanese invasion, Museum of Regal customs as a former royal residence built in 1887, Handicraft village and craft museum, unique architecture of Siti Khadijah Central Market, the most photographed market in Malaysia.