Historical City of Melaka

Melaka is among the third smallest Malaysian state. The state of Malacca is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula. The capital of the state is Malacca Town and the state is headed by the Governor or Yang di-Pertua Negeri. This historical city received the popular recognition of World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2008.
Melaka History
Melaka was founded in 1400 by Parameswara, a young Hindu prince from Palembang. Parameswara fled from the Javanese enemy of his homeland. Under his reign, Melaka grew to be the famous port for trading between the East and the West. It was also the center of spice trade between the Malay and the Indonesian archipelagos. Indians, Arabs, China and Siam peoples, traded tea, cotton, silk, silver, porcelain, ivory, Persian carpets, brassware, perfumes, pearls, incense and opium. Parameswara was also the first Malay prince to embrace Islam; hence, Islam became the official religion of Melaka.
Some 60 years later, the wealth of the State caught attention of the Portuguese and the Dutch. In 1511, the Portuguese, under the command of Alfonso de Albuquerque, conquered Melaka.
In 1641, the Dutch took over Melaka from the Portuguese after a long and fierce battle. In 1795, Melaka was handed over to the British to avoid its capture by the French Revolutionary Armies. The British returned the city to the Dutch in 1808; however, the British soon took it back in trade for Bencoleen, Sumatra.
From 1826, the English East India Company in Calcutta ruled the city, although from 1942 to 1945 the city experienced Japanese occupation too.
After World War II, the anti-colonial sentiment resulted in the proclamation of Independence by Malaysia’s first Prime Minister.
Melaka Culture
The city of Melaka is rich in heritage and culture from their daily lives to the historical landmarks. In front of every house in Melaka are the Malacca Steps.
Melaka is well-known for its food. Some of the traditional Malay dishes include ikan asam pedas, sambal belacan and cencaluk. Belacan, or shrimp paste, is a traditional ingredient used in many dishes, or eaten with rice.
The Nyon-Baba cuisine is also seen in Melaka, which is a mixture of Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Indian, British and Malay cooking. These dishes are generally spicy. The Devil’s Curry and the Portuguese egg tarts were added to the cuisine by the Portuguese.