Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca is a UNESCO World Heritage site that includes the historic areas of two cities, Melaka and George Town. These cities show 500 years of cultural and trade interactions between East and West.
This World Heritage site shows how maritime cities in the region developed over time and how different ethnic and cultural groups helped shape these cities. In Melaka, government buildings, churches, squares, and fortifications show the early history of the 15th-century Malay sultanate, followed by periods of control by the Portuguese and Dutch in the early 16th century. George Town reflects the British era starting in the late 18th century and includes homes and businesses from that time. In both cities, the cultural and architectural influences of local Malays, as well as Chinese and South Asian immigrants, are visible. Their contributions and changes over time can also be seen.
Melaka was added to the listing using the Malay language spelling of the name, "Melaka," instead of the more commonly used English spelling, "Malacca."
Inscription criteria
The listing was included based on Criterion (ii), "show how people shared their values and ideas," because the two cities show how different cultures came together through trade, including Malay, Chinese, and Indian traditions, and the influence of three European powers over nearly 500 years. Criterion (iii), "show something special about a culture," applies because the cities display their unique heritage through many places of worship, areas where different groups live, languages spoken, and festivals celebrated. Criterion (iv), "a special example of a building or area that shows an important time in history," is met because Malacca and George Town show how different cultures blended to create a unique look, culture, and city design that's not found anywhere else in East and Southeast Asia.
Inscription history
The site was first added to Malaysia’s Tentative List for World Heritage in 2001. In 2008, the World Heritage Committee officially included the site on the list during its 32nd meeting in Quebec City, Canada.
Singapore and Phuket, which are also located on the Strait of Malacca, have a history of multicultural colonial development similar to Melaka and George Town. These cities were considered for inclusion in the listing. However, Singapore’s historic area experienced significant demolition and redevelopment in the 1970s and 1980s, leaving few remaining historic buildings that meet the requirements for inclusion. Phuket’s historic area is much smaller and does not have the same level of well-preserved historic buildings as Melaka and George Town.
A small change was made to the boundary of the Melaka buffer zone to include the officially recognized Chinese cemetery in the Bukit Cina area, as suggested in ICOMOS’s 2008 report.
ICOMOS identified the main threats to the site as pressure from tourism and heavy traffic. In the future, climate change and rising sea levels could cause flooding. ICOMOS advised that these issues should be addressed in future plans to protect the site.
World Heritage Sites
The UNESCO-designated area in downtown George Town includes a 109.38 ha (270.3-acre) core zone and a 150.04 ha (370.8-acre) buffer zone. This part of the city is the oldest section and shows the British colonial era from the late 1700s. It was officially named a historic area in 1987. The Penang Island City Council has counted 3,642 heritage buildings in both zones.
The UNESCO-designated area in Malacca City includes a 38.62 ha (95.4-acre) core zone and a 134.03 ha (331.2-acre) buffer zone. This area is located along both sides of the Malacca River and centered around St. Paul's Hill. It reflects the history of the 15th-century Malacca Sultanate, as well as the later Portuguese and Dutch colonial periods. St. Paul's Hill was officially named a heritage zone in 1988.