Walking Walking Kuala Lumpur - Dataran Merdeka: A Heritage of Its Own

This series is a continuation from Walking Walking Kuala Lumpur - The Beginning........................

One of the most visited places for visitors to Kuala Lumpur before Petronas Twin Tower is Dataran Merdeka or Merdeka Square. Its a place that cannot be seperated from the history of Malaysia on the whole.  Independance of the Federation of Malaya and Malaysia remains as nostalgic memories. For that reason the National Day of Malaysia every 31st August is very significance to this area as host.

Dataran Merdeka can be considered as one of the nucleus for heritage buildings in Kuala Lumpur. All around this field there are concentration of heritage buildings since it was one of the earliest developed site and located just at the confluence of Sungai Klang and Sungai Gombak, the birthplace of Kuala Lumpur. Looking at Kuala Lumpur's distribution of communities in the early days this can be attributed to the colonial immigrants from the West.

Among the heritage building here is of course I think is the most captured building on photo of Kuala Lumpur, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

It was site, that the Union Jack was lowered and the flag of Malaya was hoisted on 31st August 1957 marking the Independance of Malaya. Today, to mark that historical event of hoisting the flag of the Federation of Malaya, stand a 100 metre flag post, the tallest in Malaysia (and among the tallest in the world)  erected at one end of the square.

My Jalan-Jalan Kuala Lumpur starts from the bridge across the Sungai Klang from the junction of Jalan Tun Perak and Jalan Raja Laut and into Jalan Raja (scroll down to see the accompany map of this journey) . Jalan Raja is the road running in front and parallel to Sultan Abdul Samad Building where Merdeka parade took place every year. The Dataran Merdeka is just across the road from Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

For visitors to Kuala Lumpur taking the Hop On Hop Off bus, can disembark at bus stop 16 just next to the St Mary's Anglican Church. From here just walk across to the field that was once a cricket pitch where matches were played during the colonial days. However, today, since cricket is not a popular sports in Malaysia, one can hardly see people playing anymore on the pitch except for official events organised  once in a while. This open filed also hosts varieties of events occasionally. However it has already been renovated from the original ground in 1990, that will be very soggy after spells of rain. Just below this field (underground), is the Plaza Putra housing cimeplex, tourist information centre, food court and some small shops. There is also a 600 car parking bay.

Below are series of pictures of heritage buildings around Dataran Merdeka

Above: St Mary's Cathederal, Oldest Anglican Church in Kuala Lumpur

Above:  Royal Selangor Club.

 Above: National History Mesuem

Above: Kuala Lumpur Memorial Library

Above: A fountain to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee at one end of the Square and was built in 1897

Below: The route I took from where I ended the previous entry in this series. This series ends at the bridge across the Sungai Klang and next in the series will be Central Market. Do visit again.......................

Above: The Loke Yew Building. Read about Loke Yew HERE.

Below: Part of a structure of a heritage building was preserved when the Menara Patriot that belongs to Bank Pertanian Malaysia (now known as Agro Bank) was built. This series of Walking Walking Kuala Lumpur stops here. See you again in the next sreies................