Malacca Old City

Malacca, Malaysia

The historic center of the Malacca Sultanate, once the greatest maritime trading power in Southeast Asia. Its Islamic heritage layer underlies subsequent Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonial structures.

Historical Context

The sultanate was founded by Parameswara, who converted to Islam as Iskandar Shah. Under successive sultans, Malacca became the greatest trading port in Southeast Asia, attracting merchants from China, India, Arabia, and the Malay world.