Declaration of Malacca City as a Historical City in Malacca Date in the current year: April 15, 2024

Malacca City is the capital of the Malaysian state of Malacca. One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Southeast Asia, Malacca was founded in 1396 by Sumatran prince Parameswara who would go on to become the first ruler of the Malacca Sultanate. Parameswara named the future capital of his sultanate after a Malacca tree (Phyllanthus emblica, also known as emblic or amla) which gave him shade and shelter.

Malacca rapidly developed and soon became the most prosperous trading port in the Malay Archipelago and the center of the Malay realm. Early mentions of Malacca can be found in the writings of Chinese voyager and translator Ma Huan, who described it as a well-established city. By the 16th century, Malacca had become a multi-ethnic city where different ethnicities (the Arabs, Persians, Chinese, Bengalis, Gujaratis, Tamils, and native peoples of the Malay Archipelago) were associated with specific trades.

Malacca had significant strategic importance because its port controlled the narrow Strait of Malacca that made sea trade between China and India possible. Because of this, the city of Malacca was conquered by the Portuguese, who sought to establish dominance in the region, in 1511. The Dutch conquered Malacca in 1641 and controlled it until 1825 (with a brief period of British occupation during the Napoleonic Wars). They ceded Malacca to the British by the terms of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824.

Since the declaration of Malaysia’s independence, Malacca City has been the capital of the state of Malacca. It is the center of the state’s political and economical administration and, with a population of more than 450,000, the largest city of Melacca and the 13th largest city in Malaysia by population.

The development of Malacca City has been determined by trading and cultural exchanges throughout its history. As a result, its architecture and cultural heritage reflect all the stages of its history originating in the Malacca Sultanate and developing all the way through the colonial era up to Malaysia’s independence, making Malacca truly unique.

Mahathir Mohamad, the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, declared Malacca a historical city on April 15, 1989. The anniversary of this declaration has been observed as a state public holiday ever since. The historical city status of Malacca was recognized internationally on July 7, 2008 when UNESCO added Malacca City and George Town (the capital of Penang) to its list of World Heritage Sites.

The Declaration of Malacca City as a Historical City is marked by concerts, fairs, cultural festivals, sports competitions, special guided tours, and other events and activities celebrating the long history and rich culture of Malacca. The state of Penang has a similar public holiday that commemorates the designation of George Town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. George Town UNESCO Heritage Day is celebrated annually on July 7.