The Merdeka Square (Independence Square or Dataran Merdeka) is situated in the centre of the city. It's close to the Gombak river, the Masjid Jamek, Central Market and China Town. It's the core of KL's history. Here you find buildings like the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, the Royal Selangor Club, and the National History museum. Some of them peppered with Moorish flavour. A 100 metre-high flagpole marks the spot where the Malayan Flag was hoisted on August 31, 1957 signifying the independence of the country from British rule.
In 1892 it had 140 members including some who were absent from Selangor. Before there was a club everybody met everybody at Maynards, which was the only European shop in Kuala Lumpur . . .
In theory Maynards was a pharmaceutical chemist but it also sold liquor and a wide range of other things. Ladies went shopping in the confidence of meeting friends and lingering to chat. The Selangor Club met a need for a social centre as such. . . . It was originally housed in a "little plank building with an atap roof" to serve as a cricket as well as a social club.
Merdeka Square better reflects its status as it was at this place on midnight of August 31, 1957 that the Malayan flag was hoisted for the first time in the country's history upon gaining independence from the British rule.
As a remembrance to this event, a 100 metre high flagpole, which is the world tallest, was erected at the very place where the Malayan flag was hoisted on the independence day.
At the left of the flagpole is the National History Museum (Muzium Serajah Nasional). It's former commercial bank dating back to 1910.The museum opened its doors in 1966 as National History Museum and enables visitors to discover the wealth of Malaysia's historical heritage through its permanent exhibition of artefacts and materials.
The most beautiful building at the Merdeka Square is, without any doubt, the Abdul Samad Building (photo at the right). The Sultan Abdul Samad building was constructed in 1897 and designed by a British architect, A.C. Norman, who worked for the Public Works Department at that time. He took into consideration some of the features of buildings in several Islamic countries.
When Selangor transferred its administrative offices to Shah Alam in 1974, the building was extensively renovated to house the nation's judiciary. This grand building has been left vacant recently when the "courts" move to Putrajaya, the new administrative centre of Malaysia.
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