Melaka UNESCO World Heritage Site, Malacca

On 7 July, 2008, Malacca along with George Town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Together they are recognised as the Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca. Within Malacca Town, the World Heritage Site comprises a 38.62 hectare core zone and a 134.03 hectare buffer zone.

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Inscription Year: 2008
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: II, III, IV

Core Zone

The core zone of the Historic City of Melaka, as mapped out by the nomination file submitted to UNESCO, comprises two sections bisected by the Malacca River. They form the oldest part of Malacca.

On the east side of the river is the Civic Zone. This includes Porta de Santiago, St Paul's Hill, Stadthuys, Christ Church and the various colonial buildings that dates back to the Dutch and British eras, many of which have been restored and converted into museums.

On the west side of the river is the Residential and Commercial Zone. These comprise the shophouses along Jalan Hang Jebat (Jonker Street), the elite residences along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (Heeren Street), and the various places of worship along Jalan Tokong (Temple Street), Jalan Tukang Emas (Goldsmith Street) and Jalan Tukang Besi (Blacksmith Street). In total, there are about 600 properties within this zone, including the cross streets that run perpendicular to the main streets such as Lorong Hang Jebat, Jalan Hang Kasturi, Jalan Hang Lekiu and Jalan Hang Lekir.

Location Map of Melaka UNESCO World Heritage Site

This is as close as I can get to mapping out the UNESCO World Heritage Site based on satellite view of the existing buildings in Malacca historic core.

 Sights within the core zone
 Sights within the buffer zone
 Sights outside the core and buffer zones

Sights within the core zone of the Melaka UNESCO World Heritage Site

* Sights of considerable significance
** Sights of major significance

Sights in the Buffer Zone of the Melaka World Heritage Site

Sights outside the Melaka World Heritage Site

Tan Beng Swee Clocktower (9 July, 2005)


Statue of St Francis Xavier (9 July, 2005)


Interior of the ruined St Paul's Church, Malacca (9 July, 2005)

Buffer Zone

A buffer zone surrounds the core zone. It is the area bordered by Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Jalan Ong Kim Wee, Jalan Kota Laksamana, Jalan Merdeka, parts of Jalan Chan Koon Cheng, the parts of Kampung Banda Kaba. I should point out that the buffer zone on Jalan Kota Laksamana was reclaimed from the sea as late as the fourth quarter of the 20th century. While it provides some "protection" to the heritage row on Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, it does not have any properties of "heritage age".

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