St. Paul's Church

The St. Paul's Church in Melaka is the oldest church building in Malaysia, even more so in Southeast Asia. It was originally built in 1521 by a Portuguese nobleman as a small chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The church was later enlarged to include a second floor in 1556. When the Dutch conquered Melaka in 1641, the church continued to serve as the main church for the Dutch community before they built the Christ Church. What is remain today of the St. Paul's Church are the four masonry walls and some tombstones. Being high up on St. Paul's Hill, the church ground also offers some good vantage points to look at the City of Melaka.