Discovering the rich heritage of Lebuh Ampang, KL

Story and pic by Sharen Kaur

Lebuh Ampang is one of Kuala Lumpur's oldest and busiest street. Although a short street, and located in the heart of the city, Lebuh Ampang is a vibrant small Indian enclave with south Indian restaurants, businesses and rows of Chinese shophouses.

Meeting point by the bank of Klang River

Undeniably, it is also an area rich with culture and history, and the best way to discover that is through a guided-walking tour.

Interestingly, Cosmo Hotel Kuala Lumpur, a two-year old 4-star hotel has a City Discovery package (comprising Lebuh Ampang Heritage Trail and KL Forest Eco Park expedition) covering the city’s oldest areas that will not hesitate to delight the curious.

Cosmo Hotel is the first hotelier that is collaborating independently with a team of licensed Tourist Guides 

The old area has many famous colonial-era landmark buildings clustered in a compact heritage area surrounding the Old Market Square, Masjid India and Lebuh Ampang. All these areas are within walking distance from the hotel.

Cosmo Hotel is the first hotelier that is collaborating independently with a team of licensed Tourist Guides to provide that experience for their guests.

“This collaboration is an admirable engagement exercise with professional Guides to keep the city’s heritage alive. These Guides have deep passion for all things heritage. Their many years of experience in conducting heritage walking tours, for local government agencies and international tourists, will heighten the guests stay in this city. The 3-hour cultural and historical walk is crafted to allow the hotel guests, to discover, immerse and experience up-close the unique cultural attractions of the areas nearby the hotel which are historic” said Jane Rai, an award-winning Tourist Guide with 29 years of experience.

Before the guided walk began, Jane gave us an overview of the walk, what to see and experience. She reminded us that crossing the streets required a sense of adventure.

We learnt Cosmo Hotel is sited at old row of shophouses once occupied by Chinese tin miners and traders in the 1870s. Many of these shophouses were used as warehouse to store tin slabs and dried fish.

Old Market Square 

Jane said, the suggested starting point for this Leboh Ampang Heritage Trail is Market Square where a Clock Tower stands and worth admiring. The Clock Tower was built to commemorate the coronation of King George VI in 1937.

"Long time ago the Merdeka Square (Lebuh Pasar Besar) area was a jungle. Yap Ah Loy (a prominent figure in the early days) built a wooden house for himself back then at one end of Merdeka Square. And just by the bank of Klang River, on the east side, where Maran Building is located, it was the landing stage for tin miners who were brought in to work in the tin mines by Raja Abdullah. This took place 161 years ago.

"Story has it that Sultan Abdul Samad, the Sultan of Klang then, appointed Raja Abdullah to be the chief of Klang. Klang back then was where members of the royal families were located and become a collection of tins before it was exported worldwide. Tin mines were found in areas like Ampang, Pudu and Petaling Street. All these areas were very rich with tin deposits.

"Klang River long time ago was just a little stream. Boats used to get stuck in muds. There were two rivers and they had to decide which sides the tins were located. Klang river is the main river that comes from Klang town. It comes all the way to Merdeka Square area, where they also discovered the confluence of two rivers, namely Gombak and Klang rivers. The landing stage was at each side of these rivers. This is the part of the embankment that has received a lot of developments. Government buildings came about on one side of the river and corporate buildings were on the other side," said Jane.

Jane delighted us with interesting stories on the market, a Malay Chief, a Chinese Kapitan who dominated the trade and tin mines. It was fascinating to learn the town’s growth and of people who lived in the Square. Prominent Chinese and Malays set up their businesses here after the Selangor British Resident, Frank Swettenham ordered the dirty market, once managed by a Chinese Kapitan, be cleaned up. Rows of beautiful art-deco buildings graced the Square.

The Old Market Square became a market and later grew into a commercial center for the whole town some 160-year ago. Tin miners and traders settled here following the discovery of tin mines in the 1850s. Multiracial community settled at various areas of the town.

The square moved on to become the commercial heart of Kuala Lumpur with the main branch of Hongkong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC) at one end of the square and Mercantile Bank at the other end surrounded by the offices of many of their major customers. HSBC is still there but their rather grand building was replaced by a bland modern tower in the 1970s.

Today, the square is surrounded by dilapidated heritage shophouse blocks and modern buildings.

The city has a lot of British colonial buildings like Sultan Abdul Samad building, the old High Court, and the old Municipal building

After the Market Square walk, we were ushered to the east bank of Klang River to view the first landing site of tin miners who arrived in 1857. Raja Abdullah, a Malay Chief of Klang sent Chinese upriver to open tin mines. They landed at the confluence of Klang and Gombak River and established mines at Ampang.

"Downstream you found a lot of Chinese because of the tins. The Malays have always been further up. They had their own jetty, their own market, and their own shed of wood carving. Masjid Jamek was put there much much later when the British decided to shape the town. They rebuild the town and that is why you find a lot of British colonial buildings in the area like Sultan Abdul Samad building, the old High Court, and the old Municipal building," Jane said.

Leisure walk through Masjid India

We walked on taking us through historic and bustling streets and lanes of the old part of Kuala Lumpur. The sights, sound and smell of the area captivated us.

The guided walk took us to lively areas and through fascinating streets and lanes that retain century-old colonial buildings, places of worship, and rows of old shophouses. In these streets and lanes are found food stalls and traditional cuisines.

There are also traders like Malay tailors and barbers, Indian Muslim textile traders, Indian jewelers, Punjabi sweetmeat makers and old colonial bar and café. 

Children giving the traditional Songkok a try

Occasionally you will see wall murals on buildings and sidewalks.

The faces of Malaysia

Real Dreams Never Stop and History Doesn't Fade thanks to Cosmo Hotel

Dancing Lady in the Alley welcomes you during the  KL Forest Eco Park expedition

This walk will give visitors an insight into the fascinating lifestyles of these colourful mix of communities.

Jane also shared with us stories of people who played significant roles in shaping the town, establishing trade and a brief understanding of the city’s development from a period of the late 1800’s to mid 1900’s.

The next stage for the trail is Masjid India, which includes Jalan Melayu, Jalan Masjid India, Lorong TAR,  Medan Bunus and Jalan TAR. Here you will find colourful buildings, old and new structures.

The colour purple

The Indian Muslim started coming into the area in the early 1900s. Majority of them were Malabari (coming from Malabar in India), Penang (chuliars) and Melaka.

They build their own masjid called Masjid India. This was the first brick built mosque in KL, designed in 1907 in Mogul style by A.B Hubback, who also designed many of KL's other famous landmarks from that era. The mosque is sited where KL's history began, at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers, the muddy estuaries which gave Kuala Lumpur its name.

Masijd India

The mosque underwent four major renovations and the last was completed around 1996/1997.

Along the heritage trail you will come across the white coloured Gian Singh Building on the corner with Jalan Tun Perak. This was constructed in 1909 on behalf of various owners each according to their individual designs but with a common facade and roofline. The whole block was occupied by Gian Singh, a textile trading company (which still exists), from the 1920s onwards.

On a nearby corner is the Oriental Building (also known as the Bank Bumiputra Building), designed in 1930, again by architect AO Coltman, to house Radio Malaya.

One of the most interesting findings are the LAT structures, that were built in 2014/2105 at Jalan Melaka.

There goes LAT

Women of yesteryear

The wooden sculptures are characters from several cartoon books by Malaysia's top cartoonist. The old Wisma Lee rubber is located here. The City Hall placed various characters in different streets from Jalan Melaka, Jalan Gereja to Jalan Raja Chulan.

"Jalan Melaka is located in the site of the Malay village called Kampung Rawa, where a large community of Mandalings settled here. So one will enjoy visiting this area which is home to many restaurants serving local delicacies," said Jane.

Before you head back to the hotel, enjoy a nice cup of Masala Chai.

Masala Tea

Cosmo Hotel - a reason to visit Lebuh Ampang

Cosmo Hotel Kuala Lumpur, located at No 13 & 15, Lebuh Ampang opened its doors on 1 December 2016. The 347-room hotel is well-designed with unique personality and distinctive style to fit both business and leisure travellers.

The hotel is conveniently accessible to some of the city’s banking institutions and popular attractions such as Central Market, the historical landmark of Sultan Abdul Samad Building and Merdeka Square, Chinatown as well as a host of shopping enclaves.

With the Masjid Jamek Interchange Station just steps away, the hotel offers the best transportation mode to and around the city; and just two stops away to KL Sentral for a seamless journey to the airport via the KLIA Express.

The hotel's 347 guestrooms and suites boast an affordable stay with its Standard, Superior, Deluxe and Executive Rooms. Family-style suites – Studio Suites and Junior Suites are also available for those seeking for a home-away-from-home comfort experience.

Featuring contemporary design and subtle touches of elegance, each room is equipped with the latest technologies, designed to meet various needs of business and leisure travellers.

The hotel is also home to an all-day-dining restaurant that serves local and international cuisines and a lobby lounge, where a wide range of beverages and snacks are served.

Chicken Chop at Cosmo Hotel KL

Piping hot fish & chips

Starbucks Café – an international chain café will be on site of the hotel to serve premium blends and coffee, adding to the dining option for hotel guests.

According to Cosmo Hotel general manager Susan Carlos, the Discovery Package is priced at RM288 nett per room one night.

To book the package call 03-2030 1888.

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