A Famosa Fort, Melaka

Visit the Portuguese fortress of A Famosa Fort to see one of the oldest surviving European architectural ruins in Southeast Asia. Constructed by the Portuguese Empire in 1511, the fort housed many of the town's Portuguese residents until the Dutch drove them out in 1641. The change of colonial hands remains visible above the entrance to the main gatehouse (the only surviving portion of the fort): note inscribed year 1670, along with a bas-relief logo of the Dutch East India Company. Unfortunately, when the British took control of the fort in the late 18th century, they demolished all but the main gatehouse. Walk among the ruins and stately trees and ponder the colonial contests that swept through the country over centuries. Using our world travel planner, Melaka attractions like A Famosa Fort can form part of a personalized travel itinerary.