MELAKA ARCHITECTURE AMBIENCE

Portuguese's architecture influence is preserved at the fortress and the settlement. Other than the two places, most of the structures were ruined.  Melaka has an architecture ambience nowhere else in Malaysia a visitor can see.

A good example of the Dutch's colonial architecture of the time is the Stadhuys where the roof is rowed with Dutch-pattern clay tiles.

Marseilles roofing and sidewall Gothic openings is noticeable at the Saint Peter's church where the overall characteristics is Romanesque.

Along Jalan Kota, you can notice Chinese pantile roofing and glazed grille-works, walls punctuated with Venetian louvres complimented with Malay decorative eaves fascias. The unique architecture fashion Jalan Kota for the eyes of interesting visitors. Malay houses favorite is the verandah or serambi and such houses are raised between 4 to 5 feet off the ground on joists and beams that rested on heel-stones. In between the joists and the heel-stones, are short columns. Amazingly, the houses have the Bugis or Minangkabau influence although the Chinese roofing tiles were used.

Not far from Jonker Walk, there is a masjid rich as an architecture heritage in addition to its long historical timeline. Covered with Chinese or Marseilles tiles on the 2nd or 3rd pyramidal shape, the masjid has its roof corners and summits of the eaves display with the Thai-like finials.

Many architectural structures within the smoke-free heritage zone, have the renaissance decorations applied in the columns which were built during the 19th and 20th century.

Feng-shui is an important criteria to the Chinese architecture and that is why many people both locals and foreigners are continuing to examine Heeren Streets, Jonker Walk, Harmony Streets and the rest with the heritage zone in Melaka. For example, the Chinese fear of owning a house on a T-junction where the road direction points exactly toward the main door because they believed the evil spirits occupy such places as haunting places. The street makers have learned that even a street lamp post must not be planted in such a way to obstruct the main door. The Chinese invested on good feng-shui and they prefer houses where a hill is at the rear of the house and water is a front sight. In their dialect, Wu Zi Hou Mian You Shan, Qian Mian You Shui 屋子后面有山前面有水. For the observant visitor, he would find excellent examples on Heeren Street, Jonker Walk or Bukit China.

For as many as six centuries, a 'sleepy-hollow' now a heritage city is opening to the world, and she want people to know the truth.