{"id":1147,"date":"2014-05-17T12:11:43","date_gmt":"2014-05-17T12:11:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wonderfulmalaysia.com\/attractions\/?p=1147"},"modified":"2015-03-17T09:51:30","modified_gmt":"2015-03-17T09:51:30","slug":"porta-de-santiago-famosa-fort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wonderfulmalaysia.com\/attractions\/porta-de-santiago-famosa-fort.htm","title":{"rendered":"Porta de Santiago (A’ Famosa Fort)"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is one place in Melaka that you should not miss when you set foot into the historical state. The said place is the Porta de Santiago, which might not ring a bell even among the locals but mention the A\u2019Famosa Fort and you would elicit an \u2018ah!\u2019. The A\u2019Famosa is one of the oldest surviving pieces of European architectural remains in all of Asia.<\/p>\n

\"porta-de-santiago-1\"<\/p>\n

A\u2019Famosa means \u2018the famous\u2019 in Portuguese. The fort was built by the Portuguese when they arrived in Melaka in the year 1511 under the leadership of Alfonso de Alburquerque. Alfonso ordered the construction of this fort to strengthen his hold of the newly acquired land. The sturdy structure helped the Portuguese secure their reign in Melaka for a long 130 years before the arrival of the Dutch in 1641.<\/p>\n

\"porta-de-santiago-2\"<\/p>\n

The Dutch managed to wrestle over the A\u2019Famosa Fort before eventually taking over the helm of Melaka for the next 184 years. The Dutch still utilized the fort and even made major renovations to it to improve its functionality. Most of what you see today are remnants of the Dutch improvements. If you are observant enough, you\u2019d notice a small inscription \u2018ANNO 1670\u2019 on the fort\u2019s arch as well as the coat-of-arms of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), all marks evident of the Dutch power\u2019s presence in Melaka. <\/p>\n

\"porta-de-santiago-4\"<\/p>\n

The A\u2019Famosa survived another colonization after the Dutch, this time under the reign of the British, who decided to demolish the fort due to the difficulty in maintaining the fort. Fortunately, part of the fort was saved by destruction by the late Sir Stamford Raffles, the then British governor, enabling us to appreciate a monument significant in Melaka\u2019s and Malaysia\u2019s history. The structure seen today is merely a small gate house of the fort but it is nevertheless grand in its own way, standing proudly atop the St. Paul\u2019s Hill close to the striking red Stadhuys building. <\/p>\n

\"porta-de-santiago-3\"<\/p>\n

The traffic, both human and cars, around St. Paul\u2019s Hill is testament to the popularity of A\u2019Famosa. The name has become synonymous with Melaka, so much that a theme park has been given the same name. Therefore, if you are seeking directions to the A\u2019Famosa fort, be sure to specify that it is the fort that you are looking for. Coming into the Melaka town, you will soon come to the ever popular Stadhuys. Find somewhere to park, which can be a long distance away due to traffic, and make your way up St. Paul\u2019s Hill to access the A\u2019Famosa.<\/p>\n

\"porta-de-santiago-5\"<\/p>\n

Map<\/h3>\n