{"id":12331,"date":"2019-04-03T00:40:31","date_gmt":"2019-04-02T16:40:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/travelrestauranthotel.com\/blog\/?p=12331"},"modified":"2020-05-04T20:23:55","modified_gmt":"2020-05-04T12:23:55","slug":"christ-church-melaka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/travelrestauranthotel.com\/blog\/christ-church-melaka\/","title":{"rendered":"Christ Church, Melaka"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Originally built by the Dutch in 1753 to mark the\ncentenary of their occupation, Christ Church remains one of Malacca\u2019s most defining\nstructures. It is also the oldest church that is still in\noperation in Malaysia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s Church, a small chapel on St Paul Hill.  Hence, the construction of Christ Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The vicinity of the church is steeped in Peranakan\n(Straits-born Chinese) culture. There are majestic conservation houses and\nPeranakan restaurants lining the narrow roads. \nChrist Church is also just a short walk away from  Malacca\u2019s Chinatown and other attractions\nsuch as the Ethnographical Museum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The church itself is small.  Once inside, there is a long table with\nbrochures and religious paraphernalia for sale. If you observe the ceiling beams, you might\nnotice that they were constructed by the Dutch using huge tree\ntrunks with no joints between each other.  Known as Timber\nFraming or \u201cpost-and-beam\u201d construction, this traditional method of building\nused by the Dutch utilises heavy timbers and was a commonplace in architecture\nback in the 19th century.  The floor is lined with old\ntombstones engraved with Armenian inscriptions. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\nare ten rows of 200-year old handmade\nwooden pews, decorative fanlights, timber crucifixes on the wall and plaques\nthat honour Dutch soldiers and locals. There is also a Brass Bible that\nhas a Dutch version of St. John engraved on it. Sitting\nabove the altar of the church is an elaborate and detailed remake of the famous\nmural painting, \u201cThe Last Supper\u201d. It looks just like the original\npainting, except that it is made up of glazing and glossy tiles in different\ncolours.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Entrance into the basilica is free, and it is open\nto tourists any time between 0830 \u2013 1700 hours, Monday to Saturday.  There are services available in English,\nChinese and Tamil languages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christ Church Melaka<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Address: Gereja Christ, Jalan Gereja, 75000 Melaka,\nMalaysia<\/p>\n\n\n\r\n \r\n Booking.com<\/a>\r\n<\/ins>