Picture of A FAMOSA GATEWAY

-- After the Portuguese captured Melaka in 1511, they proceeded to build a city wall around Melaka in 1512. This wall fortress around Melaka protected them from attacks from Melaka forces that tried to recapture Melaka and from the Dutch. In 1641, Melaka fell to the Dutch after a long siege. The new rulers of Melaka then re-built and fortified the fortress. However, in 1795, Melaka was exchanged by the Dutch to the English with Bencoolen in Sumatra during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1807, under William Farquar, the English began demolishing the A Formosa fort and surrounding walls with dynamite and transferred the citys population to Penang. The cost for demolishing the fort was 70,000 pounds. However, in 1808, Sir Stamford Raffles while recuperating in Melaka objected to the demolition. On his recommendation the city was saved from destruction and the plan to evacuate Melaka was abandoned with the approval of Lord Minto, the Viceroy in India.