Churches, Melaka

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The Melaka's Town Square retains many of the old buildings and Christ Church which the Dutch commenced building in 1741 and finished in 1753 stands out as one of the best. The walls were constructed using pink laterite bricks brought from Zeeland in Holland.
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The Dutch Reformed Church held services until the British took control of Malaka. During 1838 Bishop Daniel Wilson of Calcutta consecrated the church as Anglican.

A beautiful building still holding regular church services. Well worth visiting.

This is a church that all who visit Melaka will snap a picture of this church built by the Dutch in 1753. The church is still in use today.

You can enter the sanctuary and enjoy the tranquility of the surroundings. Take a look at the wooden beams that help to hold the building together.

Moreover, it is a good place to cool yourself down since the entire sanctuary is air-conditioned.

Built in 1753, the church is a true demonstration of the Dutch’s architectural ingenuity. It is located next to the Stadthuys, the official residence of Dutch Governors and their offices in 17th Century, and the History and Ethnography Museum.

The characteristic feature of this church includes a brass Bible, tombstones written in Armenian, the ‘Last Supper’ in glazed tiles, and its ceiling. The ceiling beams are made from handmade pews, without joints for over 15 m long, and made from a single tree.

St Francis Xavier, the church is a well-known landmark in Malacca. St Francis Xavier is well remembered for his missionary work during the 16th century and his mission remained the cornerstone of this church. Once interred within the church crypt are two missionary priests who died of malaria between 1855 and 1876.

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St. Peter's Church was built in 1710 by descendants of Portuguese soldiers in Malacca after the Dutch administrators relaxed the rules to allow the construction of a Catholic church. Its construction was made possible through the generosity of a Dutch convert who donated the land to the Portuguese as a gift. It has a one-of-a-kind life-size alabaster statue of Christ before the Resurrection, which makes the church an important meeting place for the Catholics in the country. The bell within its bell tower dates back to 1608 and was manufactured in Goa, India.

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St Francis Xavier's Church was built between 1849 and 1856 on the former site of a Dominican Portuguese church called Convent Of Our Lady Of The Rosary by a French priest, Father Farvé. The twin-spired Gothic church was named after the famous Catholic missionary who visited Malacca on several occasions from 1545 to 1552, on his way to the Far East. The design of the church was based on the Cathedral of St Peter in Montpellier, France.

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St. Paul's Church now lies in ruins on top of St. Paul's Hill. The hill itself was originally known as Malacca Hill before the church was built. It was renamed Monti Ali Maria, or Mary's Hill after the Portuguese took over. The church was originally a chapel called the Chapel of the Mother of God (Madre de Deus) or Our Lady of the Hill (Nossa Senhora do Oiteiro) and dates back to 1521.

In 1548, the chapel was passed on to the Society of Jesus by the archbishop of Goa, Don Albuquerque. Francis Xavier received the title deeds on behalf of the Society. In 1556, the Portuguese enlarged the chapel, adding a second storey to it. Further renovation was carried out in 1590 with the addition of a tower.

When the Dutch wrestled Malacca from the Portuguese in 1641, they destroyed all the Portuguese buildings except for the fortress, on which they placed the Dutch emblem. The Dutch also took over the chapel, repaired and reconsecrated it into a Dutch Reformed Church, calling it St. Paul's Church, a name which remains today. The Dutch used it for their worship for the next 112 years, until they built their own church at the foot of the hill, Christ Church. St. Paul's Church was then abandoned.

When the British took over Malacca in 1824, St. Paul's Church had lost its tower. However, the British added a lighthouse in front of it and instead of using it as a place of worship, the Church became a convenient storehouse for British gun powder. Old Dutch and Portuguese tombstones can be found inside.

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This lovely little church looks over the small square by the side of the river and the Stadthuys. It's the oldest Protestant church in Malaysia and was built to commemorate a century of Dutch rule in Malacca. Construction began in 1741, and completed in 1753. It follows an extremely simple design, which is a quintessential church of Dutch architecture - rectangular, with massive walls, red granith plinths and Dutch roof tiles. It is perfectly proportion to the ratio of 2:1, 27 metres long by 13 metres wide. There are no aisles or chancel. However, it has beautifully hand-carved pews, and the massive 15-metre long timber beams supporting its roof were cut from a single tree. Its bricks were specially brought in from Zeeland in Holland. Its porch and vestry were added a hundred years later.