Central Market, Kuala Lumpur
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Central Market is a main attraction in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This market is also known as Pasar Seni or Pasar Budaya.
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[edit] Introduction
Central Market is located at Jalan Hang Kasturi, a few minutes away from Petaling Street. It was built in 1888 and originally used as a wet market. It has since been classified as a Heritage Site by the Malaysian Heritage Society and it is now a landmark for Malaysian culture and heritage. It is also strategically located within public transport facilities.
Central Market has created a corner to display multi-ethnicity and the stalls are zoned based on the features of each race. The new zone therefore would consist of 3 lanes namely the Lorong Melayu, Straits Chinese and Lorong India. The purpose of this new zone is to let the visitors have an insight of the cultural difference of the various races in Malaysia.
There is also a Malacca Jonker street – a street featuring double-storey and single-storey Baba-Nyonya styled architectural buildings, a Batik Emporium which houses well-known designer labels with the best Malaysian made batik items ranging from clothes, shoes, bags to home finishing.
Central Market is a one stop shopping centre for Malaysian products such as handicrafts, art, kebaya, songket, batik and the wide variety of Malaysian cuisine. Efforts to improvise and upgrade facilities in Central Market also include having a variety of food & beverage outlets such as Secret Recipe, Old Town Kopitiam, Kings Confectionary, Famous Amos, Precious Restaurant (Traditional Baba Nyonya Cuisine), Ginger Restaurant (Traditional Malaysian Thai Cuisine) and many more.
The colourful Malaysian Traditional Cultural and Arts events are presented at the Central Market Outdoor Stage. Central Market celebrates all the Traditional Festivals of each race in Malaysia. Moreover, Central Market supports the local contemporary arts in The Annexe Gallery.
[edit] History
The building was built in 1888 by the British who were ruling Malaya at that time and it was used as wet market for Kuala Lumpur citizens and tin miners. Further expansions were made in 1889, 1895, 1920 and 1921. By 1933, the expansions to the warehouse made the market now in its present size and cost around $167,000.
As Kuala Lumpur experienced its own development at a rapid pace in the 1970s, there were plans to demolish the site. The intervention of the Malaysian Heritage Society proved timely as they successfully petitioned against its deconstruction and the site was declared as a 'Heritage Site'.
The Wet Market was very convenient to the early city dwellers because it was within the vicinity of Klang bus stand, the hub of feeder bus service for Kuala Lumpur and the train station.
During construction of Dayabumi near Klang River banks in 1981 the market was survived from its demolition. However in 1985 the market was renovated into vibrant and colourful new style and on April 1986 it was officially known as Pasar Budaya until now.
The Annexe Central Market, located at the back of main building that formerly housed a cineplex, was opened in 2006. The Annexe houses art galleries, theatre and music performance spaces, and arts and craft shops. It is one of the major art spaces in Kuala Lumpur and is a hub of activity all year long which features artworks and performances by local, regional and international artists.
The walking mall parallel to the main building (facing the shop lots) is noted for housing street musicians or buskers.
[edit] Architecture
[edit] External links
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