Dataran Merdeka

Kuala Lumpur is littered with remnants of Malaysia's colonial past, which make for interesting attractions for history buffs and lovers of colonial-era architecture. One such noteworthy attraction is a lush green space known as ‘Dataran Merdeka’ or Independence Square.  Located within KL’s central city hub, this square has much history associated with it, for it is here that the Union Jack was lowered as the flag of newly-born nation Malaysia was raised at the midnight hour on August 31st 1957.  

The square today is the site of the country's national day celebrations, an event marked with much celebration including an elaborate National Day parade. In the center of the square stands a tall flag pole, which rises to a height of 95 m and is believed to be the tallest flag pole in the world. The southern section of the square hosts a plaque which commemorates the end of colonial rule in Malaysia, as it marks the very spot where the Union Jack was lowered on that fateful day.

‘Dataran Merdeka’ is enveloped on all sides by some of KL's most majestic buildings. On the eastern end of the square stand the stately Sultan Abdul Samad building. This building was designed by British architect Arthur Charles Alfred Norman in 1897 and once hosted the superior courts of the country.  Today, the imposing edifice is home to the office of the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture of Malaysia.

On the western side of the square is the Royal Selangor Club Complex. The clubhouse of the complex, an exponent of the Tudor style to of architecture, was built in 1884 as a center of recreation for high ranking officers of the colonial government. The ‘Dataran Merdeka’ was in fact previously known as the Selangor Club Padang or simply ‘the Padang’ for it was used as the cricketing green of the Selangor Club. Membership of the club nowadays is symbol of prestige, and the club accordingly features the who’s who of Malaysia on its membership rolls.  The Royal Selangor Club is famed for its two 18-hole championship courses, which regularly host various international and domestic golfing tournaments.

The stunning Gothic structure of St. Mary’s Anglican Church dominates the northern end of the square. The church is the current Diocese of West Malaysia and serves the seat of the Bishop of West Malaysia. St Mary’s which was built in 1894, is another marvelous colonial edifice was designed by A.C Norman. The southern edge of the square is home to another grand edifice, which once was home to the extensive collections of the National History Museum.

The ‘Dataran Merdeka’ features an additional attraction beneath its surface in the form of the enchanting Plaza Putra, a food, leisure and entertainment complex offering whole host  of delights.

KL’s Independence Square, ‘Dataran Merdeka’ has much to offer for all visitors and is recommended as a must-do attraction in KL.