Christ Church, Melaka

Originally built by the Dutch in 1753 to mark the centenary of their occupation, Christ Church remains one of Malacca’s most defining structures. It is also the oldest church that is still in operation in Malaysia.

Apart from its commemorative purpose, the construction of Christ Church also served a practical purpose.  When the Dutch first conquered Malacca, they had no place of worship aside from St Paul’s Church, a small chapel on St Paul Hill.  Hence, the construction of Christ Church.

Situated along Jalan Gereja, also known as Church Street, the church stands opposite the Stadthuys – the former residence for the Dutch government.  It is an instantly recognisable brick-red building with a huge white cross at the top.  Brightly coloured trishaws gather around the front of the church.

The vicinity of the church is steeped in Peranakan (Straits-born Chinese) culture. There are majestic conservation houses and Peranakan restaurants lining the narrow roads.  Christ Church is also just a short walk away from  Malacca’s Chinatown and other attractions such as the Ethnographical Museum.

The structure of the Christ Church remain unchanged until the British took control of Malacca years later.  When that happened, the British added a weathercock and bell to Christ Church. In front of the church is Queen Victoria Fountain which was built by the British. If you look slightly further, you can see a windmill facing the fountain. The British also transformed the church from a Protestant church to an Anglican one. 

The church itself is small.  Once inside, there is a long table with brochures and religious paraphernalia for sale. If you observe the ceiling beams, you might notice that they were constructed by the Dutch using huge tree trunks with no joints between each other.  Known as Timber Framing or “post-and-beam” construction, this traditional method of building used by the Dutch utilises heavy timbers and was a commonplace in architecture back in the 19th century.  The floor is lined with old tombstones engraved with Armenian inscriptions. 

There are ten rows of 200-year old handmade wooden pews, decorative fanlights, timber crucifixes on the wall and plaques that honour Dutch soldiers and locals. There is also a Brass Bible that has a Dutch version of St. John engraved on it. Sitting above the altar of the church is an elaborate and detailed remake of the famous mural painting, “The Last Supper”. It looks just like the original painting, except that it is made up of glazing and glossy tiles in different colours. 

Entrance into the basilica is free, and it is open to tourists any time between 0830 – 1700 hours, Monday to Saturday.  There are services available in English, Chinese and Tamil languages.

Christ Church Melaka

Address: Gereja Christ, Jalan Gereja, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia

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