Dataran Merdeka

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Dataran Merdeka in central Kuala Lumpur

The Dataran Merdeka (or Merdeka Square) is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was here, in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building that the Union Jack was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted for the first time at midnight on August 31, 1957.

1 History
2 In the vicinity
3 Trivia
4 References
5 See also

[edit] History

Literally Independence Square, it was formerly known as the Selangor Club Padang, and was originally the cricket green of the Selangor Club (now Royal Selangor Club).

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building was among the most significant landmarks built by the British, which grandly overlooks the Dataran Merdeka. This Moorish architecture beauty, completed in 1897, housed several important departments during the British administration.

The Dataran Merdeka was officially opened on 1 January 1990 in conjunction of Visit Malaysia Year 1990.

[edit] In the vicinity

The flagpole at night

A plaque at Merdeka Square.

Surrounding the square are many buildings of historical interest including the Royal Selangor Club Complex which is situated on one corner of the square, where KL's elites meet, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, the National History Museum and the Memorial Library, a building dating back to 1909, the St Mary's Anglican cathedral, a Gothic style building which is more than a hundred years old and the impressive modern Dayabumi Complex.

A 95-meter flagpole, one of the tallest in the world, marks that spot with a flat, round black marble plaque. It is located at the southern end of the square.^[1]

The quasi-Tudor style timber structure was built in 1890 and remains a place to watch a round of cricket on a Sunday afternoon.

The Royal Selangor Club's Tudor-style building, built in 1890 is in stark contrast to the Moorish Sultan Abdul Samad government building across the square.