A’Famosa

It turned out I worked my way backward from behind the Bukit St. Paul to tbe other end, but no matter, I managed to avoid much of the crowds which were making their way to the top of the hill. From the stairs I finally reach the end of my exploration of the historical center of Melaka. One remaining landmark remains here, and that is the old Portuguese fort of A’Famosa.

Or what’s left of it. A’Famosa is the name of the large fort built by the Portuguese to defend the colony against the invading Dutch. Apparently, it didn’t stand much of a chance as the Portuguese were soon supplanted by the Dutch. Much of the old fort was dismantled and left to decay if it were not for the intervention of Stamford Raffles of Singapore fame. The only remaining trace of the A’Famosa was a small gate house which was restored by the Dutch in 1640 called Porta de Santiago.

I remember the first time I saw the brochure of Melaka, I was impressed by the old ruins that can be found here. It reminded me of the walled city of Intramuros that can be found in Manila and I was so looking forward to this place. However, imagine my huge disappointment when we finally got there. The ruins were just at that one single spot. Additionally, the ruins were tiny. They were nothing compared to the ruins that can be found in Intramuros. Well, one thing is for sure, the tourism authorities sure know how to market a place. I really had me fooled. Fast forward to the present time, even the old ruins, disappointing as it already is, is beseiged by hordes of local and foreign tourists. Since it is part of the walk through the historical center of Melaka, it still is a must that you visit this place.

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