Although Melaka bustles with urbanization and sophiscation, she still
beholds the beauty and luster of a bygone era.

Melaka owed its origin and foundation to a young Hindu Prince from
Palembang, Sumatra. Sometime in 1402, while taking a breather
under a tree by the river mouth, he witnessed an extraordinary
spectacle where a pack of ferocious dogs attacked a lonely white
mousedeer (kanchil in Malay). To his amazement, this small
mousedeer had the courage and strength to kick the advancing dogs
into the river. Taking this as a good omen, Parameswara then gazed
up at the tree and decided to name his newly acclaimed state -
Melaka, after the tree.

Parameswara had a vision and decided to build adequate
infrastructure that would compliment the port and the state. Melaka
port brought good fortunes with merchant ships from all over the
world took berth at the port. From their travel books, Marco Polo and
Tom Pires referred to Melaka as the "Venice of the East" and
whosoever holds control on Melaka holds Venice by the throat. In
1414, at the age of 72, Parameswara married a Pasai Princess.
Parameswara had moulded this little obscure, unimportant little
fishing village into a powerful trading centre in the East.

From that time on, seven sultans ruled Melaka for a period of 110
years, spanning the empire's influence on both sides of the straits.
Naturally, like the sweetness of sugar to ants, foreign powers soon
began knocking at her door. Among the first to come ashore were
the Chinese (1403) followed by the Portuguese (1509), Dutch (1641)
and the English (1789). Consequently, these visits introduced an
interaction of cultures, customs and other values.

If you were to take a stroll along Melaka town today, you will notice
many beautiful buildings taking after Chinese, Portuguese, English
and Dutch architecture. Today, the State still attracts trade and
commerce as she did 600 years ago. New opportunities are opened
as the State "wakes up from her sleepy hollow". It was not until
decades ago that tourism began to move up the notch as one of the
top priorities allocated by the State. As such, Melaka's historical
heritage has been preserved over the years, thus attracting tourists
from near and far.

Issued by: Communications Division, Tourism Malaysia
Date 6 November 2003
For more info call: (03) 2693 5188