Your base for exploring this sight is the historic city of Malacca, in Malaysia. For travel information about Malacca, go to Malacca Travel Guide. To prepare yourself for a trip to Malaysia, read the AsiaExplorers Malaysia Travel Guide. Looking for budget accommodation in Malacca? You can find cheap clean rooms using our Malacca Budget Accommodation Guide
St. Peter's Church was built by descendents of Portuguese soldiers after the Dutch administrators relaxed the rules to allow the construction of a Catholic church. Its construction was made possible through the generosity of a Dutch convert who donated the land to the Portuguese as a gift. The bell within its bell tower dates back to 1608 and was manufactured in Goa, India.
The front facade of St Peter's Church.
Earlier, under Governor Bott, a zealous church man, all Portuguese Catholics in Malacca were ordered to give up their faith. A Jesuit traveller, Father premare, reported that the Dutch allowed all religions in Malacca except Roman Catholic, forcing many to perform their devotion in great secrecy.
When religious freedom was finally proclaimed in 1702, Malacca became a more tolerent place for other religions than it had been under the Portuguese. Today St. Peter's Church is the oldest Catholic church in Malaysia.
St Peter's Church Photo Gallery
Compound of St. Peter's Church.
Window style of the church.
Close-up of the moldings of the church.
The annex building of the St. Peter's Church.
AsiaExplorers founder Timothy Tye at St. Peter's Church.
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