Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

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The Historical Significance of Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

The designation of Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008 recognizes their exceptional historical and cultural value. These two Malaysian cities, located on opposite sides of the Straits of Malacca, have been significant centers of trade and cultural exchange for over five centuries.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Melaka and George Town, historic cities of the Straits of Malacca have developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. With its government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications, Melaka demonstrates the early stages of this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning in the early 16th century. Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century. The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.

Encyclopedia Record: Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca

Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca is a UNESCO World Heritage listing comprising the historic urban centres of two cities, Melaka and George Town, that illustrate 500 years of cultural and trade exchange between East and West.

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