5 days ago
Old-world charm of capital city
Dataran Merdeka with one of the tallest flagpoles in the world, surrounded by buildings telling the story of Malaysia's history. — Photos: SAMUEL ONG, CHAN TAK KONG, RAJA FAISAL HISHAN, IZZRAFIQ ALIAS, AZLINA ABDULLAH and WILLIAM GARY/The Star
DOWNTOWN Kuala Lumpur boasts heritage buildings and structures which enrich its cultural tapestry.
One way to catch these sights is on Colonial Walk, which is part of the city's River of Life project to revitalise the Klang and Gombak rivers, transforming them into vibrant public spaces.
A nice starting point is the confluence of the rivers.
Meandering along, the trail takes in the old court buildings which lead to Dataran Merdeka.
Around the square, which hosts one of the tallest flag poles in the world, Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad takes pride of place.
However, the surrounding buildings dating from the late 19th century and early 20th century are no less impressive.
These include St Mary's Cathedral, as well as buildings that house the Royal Selangor Club, Kuala Lumpur Library, National Textile Museum, KL City Gallery (the old government printing office) and old post office.
While some of these structures are undergoing restoration work, a walking excursion still offers an opportunity to revel in these monuments to Malaysia's history.
