When is the Declaration of Malacca as a Historical City?
The Declaration of Malacca as a Historical City is a regional public holiday in the Malaysian state of Melaka on April 15th each year.
This holiday commemorates the declaration of the city as a historical city on this day in 1989.
History of the Declaration of Malacca as a Historical City
Malacca (sometimes spelt Melaka) was established in the 14th century by Parameswara, a Sumatran prince, who had to build a new kingdom following the fall of the Srivijaya Empire.
According to legend, Parameswara was resting under a Malacca Tree when he saw his hunting dogs being kicked into the nearby river by a small deer. This incident made him think that this was an auspicious place and a good location for his new settlement. He then named the place after the tree which he was resting under.
Malacca soon prospered and became an important centre for trading across Asia, attracting interest from the Portuguese.
On April 15th 1989, Malacca was declared a historical city.
In July 2008, UNESCO inscribed Malacca and George Town as cultural sites on the World Heritage List, with UNESCO explaining:
"Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits of Malacca have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. With its government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications, Melaka demonstrates the early stages of this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning in the early 16th century. Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century. The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia."
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Convention
Penang also observes a public holiday on July 7th, the anniversary for recognition of George Town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
