Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009
St. Paul's Church, the four walls of ruined church which was originally a small Portuguese chapel, situated at the summit of St. Paul's Hill. Built by Duarte Coelho in 1521 and it was named "Nossa Senhora do Oiteiro" which means "Our Lady of the Hill". After handling over to the Society of Jesus, the chapel was enlarged and renovated as two-storey in 1556.
During the invasion of the Dutch in 1641, the church was renamed to St. Paul's Church and used it for their worship until Christ Church was established in 1753. Since then, the place was being turned into a burial ground for their noble dead. When the British took over Malacca in 1824, St. Paul's Church has lost its tower. However, British constructed a lighthouse in front. Instead of being used it as praying place, the church became a convenient storehouse for British gunpowder. After, St. Paul's Church was then abandoned.
Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009
Today, there are several large tombstones, measuring 2.5 metres high x 1 metre wide, scattered around in the ruins of St. Paul's Church. The tombstones have Latin and Portuguese inscriptions on them. Walking towards the end of the church, there is a fenced up area on the ground. This spot was the open grave of Saint Francis Xavier in year 1553 before his body was moved to Goa in India. St. Francis Xavier was a regular visitor to this church and pioneering Catholic missionary work in South East Asia.
Taken with Nikon D60, dated Aug 2009
There are three ways to get up to St. Paul's Hill. One of them is using the staircase, right beside Cheng Ho Admiral's Gallery. Another one is at the foothill, a small red door way in between Architecture Museum and Islamic Museum. And the third passage is situated just behind the gateway of Porta De Santiago.
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