St Paul's Hill and Church Ruins, Malacca: History, highlights and visitor guide

History and context

The story behind St Paul's Hill and Church Ruins

The Portuguese chapel of 1521 was demolished by the Jesuits, who built the larger church from 1566 to 1590. After the Dutch conquest in 1641 it became a Dutch Reformed church, and after the completion of Christ Church in 1753 it was deconsecrated and later used as a gunpowder magazine.

A statue of St Francis Xavier was erected in front of the ruins in 1953.

Useful facts

St Paul's Hill and Church Ruins facts at a glance

Location

Summit of St Paul's Hill, central Malacca

Experience type

Hilltop ruins and viewpoint

Known for

Roofless church and Dutch tombstones

Built

Chapel of 1521; church of 1566 to 1590

Time or schedule

Daylight hours; allow 45 to 60 minutes

Annual event

Catholic Mass on the first Saturday of December

Why it matters

Why St Paul's Hill and Church Ruins is worth your time

The church began as a chapel built in 1521 by the Portuguese commander Duarte Coelho in thanks for surviving a storm. The Jesuits received it in 1548, and Francis Xavier used it as a base for missions in Asia; his body was buried here for a time in 1553 before being taken to Goa. The Dutch used the church as a Dutch Reformed church after 1641.

It matters because it holds, in one small place, the Portuguese, the Jesuit mission and the Dutch period, and later the British. After the Dutch church, Christ Church, was completed in 1753 the building lost its role and was used as a gunpowder store. The scattered tombstones were set against the walls in 1932.

Highlights

What not to miss

1. 01

   The tombstones

   Dutch and Portuguese stones line the walls and show how many nations lived and died here.

2. 02

   The Xavier statue

   The 1953 statue in front of the ruins is a common meeting point and a good photograph.

3. 03

   The view

   The hill gives a high-level view across the town and the strait.

Plan your visit

How to experience it

Start from A Famosa and climb the steps up the hill, which takes about ten minutes at a slow pace. At the top you reach the roofless walls of St Paul's Church. The stone floor is lined with old Dutch tombstones set against the inner walls, and an open grave inside is popularly linked to St Francis Xavier although there is no historical evidence for that. A statue of Xavier stands in front, missing its right hand; accounts of how that happened differ.

In front of the ruins is a former lighthouse, built in 1814 by William Farquhar, and from the hill's edges you can see the strait and the old town below. Read the tombstone inscriptions; they show how many nations have been buried on this hill.

Take the stairs down the other side to the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum, a reconstruction of the sultanate-era palace at the foot of the hill, if you want a third layer of Malacca's history. Keep voices low, as services are held here once a year on the first Saturday of December.

Know before you go

Timing, access and comfort

Area

Hilltop beside A Famosa, near Dutch Square

Time needed

45 to 60 minutes

Best time

Early morning or around 5 pm, when it is cooler and the light is softer

Walking level

Moderate

Senior comfort

The climb is by steps and stone paths, with some shade and few places to sit. Older travellers can stop partway, as the best view of the town is on the way up. The summit is uneven and slippery after rain.

Tickets and access

We did not find a charge to enter the ruins. Check current opening arrangements, and dress respectfully, as it is a church site with burials.

Plan it with

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