Christ Church Melaka
One of the iconic tourist attractions in Melaka has several red buildings, such as Christ Church Melaka. This church was built by the Dutch in 1753 and is the oldest church in Malaysia. Previously, this church was used by the Dutch for the worship activities of the Protestant Christian congregation and was called the Dutch Reformed Church.
However, after the Anglo-Dutch agreement in 1824, the British government took over the city of Melaka and sanctified it, changing the name to Christ Church. Inside this church there are still various kinds of tombstones with inscriptions in Dutch and English. You can never go wrong when you come to Christ Church because you will see a unique and interesting historical building.
Christ Church or Christ Church is a Protestant church that has been established since the 18th century and has been named the oldest church in Malaysia. The church is a silent witness to the history of the Dutch colonial conquest of the city of Melaka.
Actually, Christ Church was completed in 1753 and took 12 years to build. However, because at that time the Dutch government still controlled Melaka, this church was called the main Dutch Reformed Church.
After the Anglo-Dutch agreement in 1824, Melaka was taken by the British government. Then the church was re-consecrated through a Church of England ceremony and changed its name to Christ Church.
In 1911, maintenance was carried out on the new church, namely by repainting it from white to red. It turns out that the color change was not only made to Christ Church, but also to the surrounding buildings in the Stadthuys complex . This red color is still maintained today and is a characteristic of the city of Melaka.
Get to know Christ Church Melaka more closely
Based on its history, this church building has a very strong Dutch colonial feel. Christ Church Melaka is 25 m long and 13 m wide and has a ceiling that reaches 12 m high.
On the ceiling of the building there are wooden beams that stretch, and each beam comes from 1 tree.
The roof can be made from Dutch tiles, as well as the walls using bricks from the Netherlands. The floor is installed with granite blocks which were previously often used as ballast on merchant ships.
The original Dutch windows were removed and decorated after Melaka was taken over by the British and the terrace and vestry were only built in the mid-19th century. This is the landmark of Melaka city.
Inside the church, you will see about 10 rows of benches in front of the main altar and several old lamps that are worn but still look well maintained. Christ Church is open to the public, but there are certain hours where prayers are held inside.
Entry to the church is free at all so tourists can take some photos because there are many interesting spots.
In front of the church, rickshaw pullers gathered, complete with unique decorations, and played songs on their rickshaws.
Tourists can ride this rickshaw to get around the city of Melaka at a cost of RM 25 for a short distance, whereas if you want to go around one big circle or a long distance the fare is around RM 40.
Tips for Visiting Christ Church
The location of Christ Church Melaka is in the center of Melaka Chinatown, precisely across the Jonker Street Bridge or the Stadthuys area.
This area is the historical center of Melaka so that one tourist attraction is close to another. Christ Church’s address is Jalan Kunci, Bandar Hilir, 75000, Malacca, Malaysia.
There is one tip to make visiting Melaka more enjoyable and enjoy enjoying the views and historical atmosphere inherent in Christ Church, namely by walking.
There’s no need to bother taking a taxi or renting a motorbike to get around Melaka city because the nearby tourist attractions will be more effective and efficient on foot.
Apart from that, there are many interesting photo spots that you can explore to capture moments during your visit to Melaka. It’s really fun!
Leave your comment