History

Kuala Lumpur's very first bridge crossed the river right here, leading straight into Yap Ah Loy's commercial hub a district that, in its early days, was as much opium dens and gambling houses as legitimate trade. After Yap Ah Loy's death in 1885, Frank Swettenham cleaned house, turning the area into Market Square, complete with Dutch-gabled buildings, a clock tower, and respectability. The original 1901 steel bridge is long gone, replaced to handle modern traffic but the crossing itself has never stopped being used.

Significance

The most historic river crossing in the city, linking the early Chinese commercial district with the British administrative center.

Photo Spot Ideas

Tip: A great vantage point for capturing the flow of the river into the city's older commercial district.