Sultan Abdul Samad Building. Pic: Lerdsuwa (Wikimedia Commons).
Though by no means an ancient city by old world standards, the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur has a fascinating history combining Malay, Islamic, Chinese and colonial British influences (among others).
The birth of Malaysia in 1963 saw an end to the Federation of Malaya and of British colonial rule, which began in the early 1800s and left behind some impressive examples of colonial architecture, mostly clustered around Kuala Lumpur’s Old Town.
The multi-ethnic character the city had from the beginning is reflected in what remains of its colonial buildings.
Since Kuala Lumpur experienced its real boom after British rule, colonial landmarks are like gems hidden amongst the modern cityscape of glass, steel and concrete.
Read the entire “Kuala Lumpur’s hidden colonial gems” article on Travel Wire Asia.
This article was part of a publication for Tourism Malaysia. If you enjoyed this article and would like to find out more about travelling to Malaysia, please visit the Tourism Malaysia website.