Stadthuys

The oldest Dutch building in the East. The Stadthuys is a massive salmon-red administrative building at the heart of Malacca, built by the Dutch in the mid-seventeenth century after they seized the port from the Portuguese. Serving for centuries as the seat of colonial government and the governor's residence, it is often described as the oldest surviving Dutch colonial structure in Southeast Asia.

Solid colonial architecture. The building is a stout, thick-walled complex with heavy shutters, wide interior staircases and a central courtyard, designed in a plain but imposing Dutch style adapted to the tropics. Its distinctive deep red paint, echoed by the neighbouring Christ Church and clock tower, gives the surrounding Dutch Square its famous colour and makes it one of the most recognisable ensembles in the country.

A museum of the city. Today the Stadthuys houses the History and Ethnography Museum, whose rooms trace Malacca's layered past through the successive Malay, Portuguese, Dutch and British eras, with displays of costumes, weapons, ceramics, furniture and dioramas. Wandering its chambers offers a compact overview of a port that was once among the most important trading cities in Asia.

Visiting. The Stadthuys sits at the centre of Malacca's UNESCO-listed old town, steps from Christ Church, St Paul's Hill and the Jonker Street area, all easily explored on foot. An admission fee, often covering several nearby museums, applies. The square outside is a lively gathering point, complete with brightly decorated trishaws. Come earlier in the day to tour the museum before the heat and crowds peak, then continue up the hill to the ruined church for views over the town and strait. Costumed staff and old cannon stand about the entrance, and the museum's rooms open off a shaded inner courtyard that offers relief from the midday sun.