hy Wala Lumpur Heritage Trail ca celt-guided tour ofthe histric heart of KL covering many famous colria-era landmark buildings clustered ina compact ate surouning Merdeka Souare. You can easly see all the sites mentcned here vithin to 3 hous. “The suggest starting point for tie ala Lumpur Heritage Trail i Central Market (hich was the Fal step on my previous tou - s22 Chinatown Wellina Tour) (Ute yar yay from Cental Varket ‘to Lebuh Pasar Besar (Old Market Square) This square was onc the commercial Pesto uni ump ith the man branch of Hongog and Shag Banat ce oul ofthe and Mercantile Bark at the eter end ‘orci by the cer of any of thei maior customers. HSEC is stil there but ther rather grand bung was replaced by a bland modern over in the 1970s. Today the square is an untidy mix of somewhat dilapidated heritage shophouwse blocks and non-descripe modern buldings. The main highlight for Kula Lumpur Heritage Till ereusiats i the OCBC Building. This was asian in 1928 Art Daco style for the Overseas Chinese Barking Corporation by AO Coltman. ft ‘included underground parking for bicycles. A the centre ofthe square on chat was once a busy market stands the Clock “Tower, but to commemorate the cocanation of King George Vin 1937. t may have looked imposire at the time with ts Art Deco motifs but today it seems rather lst and forlorn amid the bus stands and coiroperates public tales. Time to mave on. 5 erie cur Mula Lapa Haag Ts Oriental Building — sere Lebuh Ampang and you vil see toe _ ite coloured Gian Singh Building on theOriental Building Continue our Ktala Lumpur Heritage Trail along Lebuh Ampang and yeu vrill see the ‘white coloured Gian Singh Building on the ‘comer with Jalan Tun Perak. This was constructed in 1909 on behalf ‘owners each according to their individual designe but with a common facade and roofline. The whole black was occupied by Gian Singh, a textie trading company (which still exists), from the 19205 onwards. Ona rearby corer is the Oriental Building {also known ar the Bank Bumiputra Building), designed in 1939, again by architect AO Coltman, to house Radio Malaya. Some say the design looks like a 1930s-era radio, | could nat make out if the building is occupied at presert. Across the street is the entrance to the Masjid Jamok (Jame Nasque). This wae the fret brick but marque in KL, designed in 1907 in Mogul style by AB Hubback, who also designed many of KL's other famous landmarks from that era. The masque is sited where KL’ history began, at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers, the muddy estuaries hich gave Kuala Lumpur its name, The rmosque's compound contairs « number of coconut palms which help te retain = rural atmosphere in the heart of busy KC. Non Muslims are waleame ta vist outside of prayer times (between 9am and 1am ‘5 a good time to visit except on Fridays). Next coor isthe Sessions and Magistrates Court, the first of a 1oW of former court and goverment buildings which line Merdeka Square. This grand buidling, formerly known as the Fecevated Malay States Survey Office, dates from 1910 and bossts orion shaped domes and cinque-foil arches. Some of the domes aopear to have weeds sprouting out of them which ilustrates the difficulty of maintaining these heritage buildings given salaysia's corrosive weather conditiors.corrosive weather conditions ‘Neston our Kuala Lunpu Heritage Ta ames te former Cty Hal, now named Pangsung Bandaraya [City Theatre|, = hy elder ung designed by AB Old City Hall ibeact in 995. the interior was destioyed by fre in 92 butsnce restora and updated Iti the venve for the Hula Limpur international snare Ploy ‘The neighbouring Suilding isthe Former Migh Court bute a 199 ana ‘8 be usad by the linetry of Information, CCommuniesions and Culture Square on nar Raa aut you wl as High Court Building se suitsn abdul somad auildns, ne Seetenennymbal af vaayea intl he one of te mom photosenhed bilings in ataya. But between 1094 and 157 itwas designed by AC. Norman and Fa. well n Hoga acetal ste Tian clock ower. The bung vas named start een Sultan of Selangor a verte etme the sere a2 ‘neighbouring builcings, its occupied by the hinty af nfermaion sechecurl syle ent particulary Nalasian and would took more at home Ininsi, e has come t amentne alain and ha played a portant role Next door i the O1d General Post Office, other Husback crexion, dating from 1296 and bul similar sie to the Sultan andl Samad bilding The post office un relocated to a modem builaing in 1934 CComatating thi row af colartal sti fe ‘he liations Textie huseur housed i ‘a slagant and histori Mogul le Dutteing Ongnally Due m 1899 arentect AD. Hutbact) 0 Rouse the headquarters of the Federated hala States Railwaysit vas later use by various government departments before being refursished at SEUsci) Pbleeneeeepeareeee ra eee rere peck emepimeerie Ss ae Across the trests the old Chatered Sank building. bute m 1979. n cecent History Museum, then a restaurant and is Currently (March 2014) being refurbished Seaiusic ussum. The mos famous of 26during which the basementaf the Dutiding was submerged. When the floods ‘subsided the Bank had to dry out their the cricket pitch mn front of the bank t dryin the sun eet tp nt ink Hattage Trail, naxt door tothe bank, isthe formar Government Printing Office, 3 lovely vogul syle bang built by AC Library forsome years but isnow converted inte the Kusls Lumpur Cty Gallary Alo in this comer of Merdeka Squate is ve Queen viewrle Bony blox. Facira the Sultan abdul Samad building isthe prestigious Royal Selangor lub, founds in 1864. The clubhouse | colonial times when Datsran Mardaia wae called the pacang ard wed forerchet and other sports. The current buileing Nearbyie the Cathedtal of Saint Mary ‘The Virgin, buen 094 m Engen Goeme sey. uci int et pr elaine Seee ee eee es aes secs (pt we locaea ued Q seat ine teen ou betaien nie ee ca meee Royall Sclangor (Club ior nu chew mewanened te ore ee eePcl Y Royal Selangor Club KL Railway Station lone of the finest ald bulaingen Kuala Lumpur. fe wa: builtin 1907363 town nalo-Indian architect, LK. Murdeen. In ‘905, th building became the Empire Hotel and in 191918 changed to the ‘a small restaurant in the courtyard a8 where youcan tale refreshment after sour long walk and appreciate tne Fishishe ofthe Kenle Lumpur Heritage Teil text deor to te Patt bulaing te the Wiana Ekrnn, This building former housed the head office of Anglo Onertal, -:emining company. Abo designed by 40. Coltman, tise another fine sample of the Eclectic are Deco sty ‘That completes the Kuala Lumpur Heritage Till uti you would ike to ade famouzold KL Railway Staton, anathor uboack masterpiece dating from 1904 and surely one of most srkng railway Stations anrwhere. See the map for ‘tation requires crossingsome very BUSY roads whien are not pedestrian friendly ‘a take cae, The bes way t welt he Staton is by train or take a ta