The Stadthuys
The Most Famous Building In Malacca

The building is a reproduction of the former Stadhuis (town hall) of the Frisian town of Hoorn in the Netherlands between 1420 until 1796. Hoorn's former Stadhuis was replaced in 1796 by a building that is now known as "het oude stadhuis" (the old town hall), which still exists today.

Therefore, anyone who wishes to see what the former Stadhuis of Hoorn looked like in the 15th to 18th centuries, can visit the one in Malacca, which is an excellent representation of the now extinct Frisian building.

Standing at the Dutch Square, the Stadthuys appears majestically impressive with its wooden doors that are beautiful and sturdy, stonewalls that are elegant yet strong and steel door bolts that are delicate yet robust. Even the ceiling of the one remaining room is decorated with 17th century incredibly beautiful woodcarvings that depict flowers. You would definitely be amazed by the architecture and workmanship that has gone into building this magnificent structure.

It would be interesting to know that the building was not originally painted red in color. The building, like all the other Dutch administration buildings in Southeast Asia was originally painted white.

After the Dutch handed over Malacca to the British in 1826, the British were the ones who, in 1911, painted the building salmon red. The actual reasons as to why these building were painted red by the British is now lost in time, but legends and theories are abundant.

One of the theories was that the buildings were painted red to copy the color of red brick stone houses in Holland so that it would remind them of their homeland. However, this theory is inaccurate as it was the British, and not the Dutch who painted the buildings red.

Another theory was that the British wanted to differentiate the houses built by them and the Dutch. Therefore, the British painted the old Dutch buildings red. This theory is also flawed because there were other Dutch buildings in Malacca that were not painted red by the British.

The date for the construction of the Stadthuys and why it was painted red were not the only mysteries that are kept by this magnificent building. There are also tales of secret pathways and tunnels that were supposed to serve as strategic hidden entry and exit point in the building.

Although the rumours of secret passage ways and tunnels have been passed down in Malacca throughout the generations, these stories have never been proven.

Today, the Stadthuys is the Historical Museum of Malacca, welcoming tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world annually. It is also known as the Museum of History and Ethnography.

There's quite a bit on display here - Portuguese and Dutch memorabilia, historical maps, stamps, paintings and lithographs together with information on the history and cultures of Malacca's various ethnic groups.

The Museum is open from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. on Saturdays to Thursdays and from 9.00 a.m. to 12.15 p.m. & 2.45p.m. to 6.00 p.m. on Fridays. The entrance fee is RM 2.00 per person.

A visit to this museum is like a journey to the past, walking down the historical path of Malacca.

To find out how to get there, please Click here for the "Tourist Attractions" map.