A Famosa, or "Famous" in Portuguese, is one of the remnants of the oldest surviving European architecture in Asia. When part of the stronghold, this small gate (called the Porta de Santiago) is all that history has been missed.
A Famosa Fort is located in Banda Hilir, Malacca Palace Museum, Convent Girls Primary (SRK Convent of the Sacred Heart) neighbors, Guys Convent Secondary School (SMK St Francis Xavier) and within walking distance of the Hotel Equatorial Melaka. The famous "Field Warrior" has been replaced by a shopping center for tourists.
In 1511, the Portuguese fleet arrived under the command of Alfonso de Albequerque attacked and defeated the Sultan of Malacca. To consolidate gains, Albequerque had the fortress built around a natural hill near the sea. Albequerque believed that Melaka would become an important port linking Portugal spice trade from China. In his time, as well as Portuguese set up outposts in places like Macau, China and Goa, India in order to create a series of friendly ports for ships heading to China and back home in Portugal.
At the end of November 2006, part of the structure, believed to be a stronghold Middelsburgh deliberately discovered during construction of the tower 110 meters spinning in Malacca Town. Tower construction delayed indefinitely after the discovery. Malacca Museum Corporation suspect that the structure was built by the Dutch during the Dutch occupation of Malacca 1641-1824. In early June 2003, the tower named Santiago Bastion was discovered during the construction of the Dataran Pahlawan.
