Merdeka Square

Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) is one of Kuala Lumpur's historically and politcally significant landmarks. This is where the Malaysian flag was first raised to symbolize independence from British Rule. Currently, a very tall flagpole stands at the southern end of the square. Portraits of the present prime minister and past prime ministers of Malaysia sit beneath the flagpole. The buildings encircling Merdeka Square are rich and diverse in style and architecture. They include everything from British Tudor-style buildings to Islamic architecture, guildhouses, and distant skyscrapers. Each of these buildings tells part of the story of Malaysia's colonial history.