Where KL began: A free talk on Medan Pasar this Saturday

Most Kuala Lumpur residents walk past Medan Pasar without a second glance. They see an Art Deco clock tower, a pedestrian square, a few old shophouses. What they often do not see is where the city started.

Tomorrow, heritage architect and author Robert Powell will bring that story back to life — in a free talk at Badan Warisan Malaysia’s Heritage Centre in Jalan Stonor.

What is Medan Pasar?

Kuala Lumpur grew as a town serving the tin mines of the region from around 1857, and the city spurred on by tin-mining started to develop around Old Market Square — Medan Pasar — with roads radiating outwards towards Ampang, Pudu and Petaling.

Tin was discovered at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers. Ships, unable to go further upriver, offloaded their goods on the riverbanks. Yap Ah Loy, regarded as the founding father of Kuala Lumpur, owned the land by the river and established the markets there. His home became known as Medan Pasar — market square in Malay.

Of the 38 lots facing Old Market Square, Yap Ah Loy owned 19 — exactly half — including his own house on Market Street on the southern side of the square. He built Chinese schools, roads, a hospital, a temple and the first manufacturing factory in Kuala Lumpur. Without him, there may have been no KL at all.

By the 1880s, the square had become a vibrant commercial hub — banks, textile shops, traditional medicine halls and other trades — comparable in its day to what Bukit Bintang is now. After a catastrophic fire in 1881 destroyed much of the city — including Yap Ah Loy’s own house — British Resident Frank Swettenham mandated that all new buildings be constructed of brick and tile. The Neo-Classical and Art Deco shophouses still standing around Medan Pasar today are largely the result of that decree.

The clock tower at the centre of Medan Pasar was erected in 1937 to commemorate the coronation of King George VI. Its original brass plaques were removed after Merdeka in 1957. The square itself was later converted into a bus terminal, fell into decline, and was only restored as a pedestrian plaza in more recent years.

About the talk

Based on his forthcoming book MEDAN PASAR: The Old Market Square of Kuala Lumpur, Robert Powell will explore the people, places and events that shaped the heart of the city — from early leadership and settlement to architectural developments and ongoing conservation efforts.

Robert Powell is an architect, city planner, artist and writer with over 45 years of experience across Asia and beyond. He has authored and edited more than 40 books and has long been committed to conservation and environmentally responsive architecture.

The talk is part of Badan Warisan Malaysia’s ongoing BWM Talk Series. During KL Festival 2026 in May, BWM’s heritage talks drew record crowds — with young people and teens sitting on the floor because there were no seats left. Demand for this kind of public history is clearly there.

Details:

• Date: Saturday, 27 June 2026
• Time: 2.30 PM
• Venue: Badan Warisan Heritage Centre, No. 2 Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur (2-minute walk from MRT Conlay Station)
• Fee: RM20 for non-members | Free for BWM members
• Registration: badanwarisanmalaysia.org

Light refreshments will be served. Seats are limited — register early.