Christ Church is sandwiched between Jalan Laksamana and Jalan Gereja in Malacca city, in the Red Square together with several other historical buildings such the Stadthuys, the Tang Beng Swee Clock Tower and a water fountain erected in memory of Queen Victoria Regina. Christ Church is difficult to miss with its unmistakable bright-red exterior. This church was built between 1741 and 1753 by the Dutch to commemorate a century of their rule. Bricks were specially shipped in from Zeeland in Holland to build this church.
Christ Church is believed to be the oldest Protestant church in Malaysia, although it was converted to an Anglican church during the British rule. The church has a ceiling that is 12.2m high above the floor, with each 15m-long roof beam fashioned from a single tree with no joints whatsoever. Inside the church one can see old tombstones with Armenian script laid on the floor. These tombstones were originally placed within the ruined Portuguese St. Paul's church and it was believed that these were moved into Christ church by the British for some reasons still unknown. Inside the church are placed several religious artifacts such as a brass Bible inscribed with the first verse of St. John in Dutch and a nice picture of the "Last Supper" in glazed tiles. The church exudes an atmosphere of calm and peace where one can seek solace in. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside the church.
Next to Christ Church is the Stadthuys, a Dutch town hall built in 1661 and is the oldest Dutch building in the East. Housed within the brick-red building are three museums, namely the History Museum, the Ethnographic Museum and the Literature Museum. These are opened to the public everyday from 9am to 6pm, except on Friday afternoons when they close from 12:15pm to 2:45pm for prayers. The entrance fee is only RM 2 (approx $1).
Other interesting things nearby include a water fountain that was erected by the people of Malacca in memory of Queen Victoria Regina. On it was inscription the words "Victoria Regina 1837-1901. Erected by the people of Malacca in memory of a great queen. 1904". In front of the fountain, several locals can be seen carrying huge pythons around their necks. Visitors can take pictures with these pythons for a small fee. One of the Malayan pythons here is a rare golden python, where the scales are golden yellow and white instead of the usual brown and black.
Many colorful and elaborately decorated trishaws are parked along Jalan Laksamana, waiting to pick up tourists keen to experience a different way of touring around Malacca city. Each trishaw can seat two passengers and a single ride costs about $1. This is a good way to take in the sights of the city at a leisurely pace without getting too tired.