Stadthuys (Dutch Town Hall)

Welcome to the most photographed building in Malacca lah — the Stadthuys! You literally cannot miss it. That deep salmon-red colour practically jumps out at you from across the river, and trust me, there's a story behind every brick in these walls. So the year is 1650, right? The Dutch had just kicked out the Portuguese after a gruelling seven-month siege, and they needed to show everyone who was boss now. So what did they do? They built this — a grand, imposing town hall modelled after buildings back in their hometown of Hoorn in the Netherlands. It took about ten years to complete, and when it was finally done around 1660, it became the official residence of the Dutch governors of Malacca. Now here's something people don't always realize — the Stadthuys wasn't always red. For most of its life, it was actually white, kan? It wasn't until 1911 that the British decided to paint everything in this area this distinctive salmon-red colour. And honestly, can you imagine Malacca without it? That red has become the whole identity of Dutch Square. The architecture is pure Dutch colonial — look at those massive doors, the thick walls built to withstand...