1753 - Christ Church, Melaka Malaysia
Posted by: 
Riblit
N 02° 11.693 E 102° 14.964
48N E 194032 N 242882
Christ Church is the oldest functioning Protestant church in Malaysia
Waymark Code: WMA12C
Location: Malaysia
Date Posted: 10/29/2010
Views: 7
Christ Church was formerly the Dutch Reformed Church of Melaka. It is the oldest surviving Dutch church building found outside the Netherlands.
The 'first stone' for the new church was laid by the Melaka born Dutch burgher named Abraham de Wind at 9am on 18th February 1754. He acted on behalf of his father, Claas de Wind, who was too ill to partake in the historic ceremony. Class de Wind was a prominent burgher during his time serving the VOC in Melaka and he rose through the ranks to become the secunde of the town.
It was planned for their new church to be a grand structure and a symbol of the pious Christian faith of the Dutch people in Melaka. It took workers a staggering 12 years to build the magnificent new Church. Its construction was finally completed in 1753.
In 1838, the Melaka church ceased to be the Dutch Reformed Church and the Bishop of Calcutta, India consecrated the church to the rites of the Church of England and it was renamed as Christ Church. Its maintenance was finally taken over by the British Government of the Straits Settlements in 1858.
Year of construction: 1753
Cross-listed waymark: Not listed
Full inscription: Not listed
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