ITINERARIES

National Art Gallery
Located on a 5.67 acres site at Jalan Temerloh, the National Art Gallery is flanked by the National Theatre and the National Library.
Built with aesthetics and functionality in mind, the art gallery creates a space for the preservation, development, exploration and experimentation of the various facets of art in Malaysia. There are a number of galleries housing various permanent and temporary exhibitions. Amenities available include a creative centre, a sculpture garden, a photography and graphics studio, and auditorium, a library, a restoration space, a book shop and a cafe.

Petronas Towers
The Petronas Towers are designed by an argentinian architect to impress and encapsulate Malaysia’s emergence as South East Asia’s commercial and cultural centre. Celebrated as the tallest towers in the world until the recent completion of Taipei 101 in Taiwan, the buildings stand at a height of 1,483ft (452m) and are joined by a skybridge extending 192ft (58m) across. Traditional geometric principles of Islamic architecture have been followed using modern technology, with an inspiring result. The Petronas towers are used as office complexes that form part of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre Development Park.

Central Market
Fifty years ago this site was occupied by a wet market. Today, the art-deco structure of the Central Market is a centre for the display and development of Malaysian culture, arts and crafts. There are many performances, demonstrations, and activities offered here, including batik painting, fortune telling, shadow puppet plays, glass blowing, dance classes, art classes, and many others. The building won the Coronation Architecture Design Award in 1953.

Sultan Abdul Samad Building
Come nightfall on Saturdays, Merdeka Square is a veritable fairyland, thanks to the Sultan Abdul Samad building nearby on Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin. Designed by British architects at the end of the 19th century, the most photographed building in Malaysia was among the earliest buildings in Kuala Lumpur to bear the Moorish influence. Its arresting features are the forty-foot clock tower and the curved colonnades crowned with copper cupolas. It still retains its original purpose which is to serve the people of Kuala Lumpur; an administrative building in the 1900-s, this majestic building is today, the High Court of Kuala Lumpur.

Merdeka Square
Merdeka Square is the field where it all began for the Malaysian nation as independence was declared, at the stroke of midnight, on August 31, 1957. The square boasts of the tallest flagpole in the world, and is a hive of activity on Merdeka Day celebrated every year.

Chinatown
Chinatown is a crowded colourful melange of signs, shops, activity and noise. The central section, Jalan Petaling, is a frantically busy market that is closed to traffic. It is most spectacular at night, when the combination of street stalls, food, haggling and bright lights makes impressions on all five senses. The old buildings - undergoing constant restoration by conservation groups - are interesting in themselves, while bargain-hunters and collectors of kitsch might be in luck as well.

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station
Located at Jalan Hishamuddin, this Moorish-style terminal was designed by architect A.B. Hubbock, who also designed the Masjid Jam. Built in 1910, it underwent extensive renovations in 1986. It is equipped with air-conditioned waiting halls, snack kiosks, money changing booths, souvenir shops, restaurants and a tourist information counter. Across the street is the Malayan Railway Administration Building, another fine example of the British colonial adaptation of Moorish architecture. It is linked to the station by an underground thoroughfare.

Golden Triangle
If all of KL's peace, quiet and culture is getting to you, head to the high-rise-heavy Golden Triangle: a small city in itself, dominated by the tallest building in the world, the Petronas Towers. Surrounded on all sides by shopping, commerce and entertainment outlets, you'll feel like you're in another country altogether. This area contains all the expensive hotels and restaurants, with nightlife not for the budget-conscious. Visitors will enjoy the Kuala Lumpur Tower - the fourth-highest telecommunications tower in the world - with superb panoramic views on offer from the observation deck.

Jalan Ampang
Take a walk along Jalan Ampang and you'll be taking a walk back in time, all the way to the 1900-s. The old mansions belonging to the tin tycoons at the turn of the century, these old ancestral homes line the streets in their silent splendour bearing witness to the passage of time and the growth of the Malaysian nation. Just so, the architecture of the buildings from Islamic architecture to Art-Deco, reflects the diversity and harmony in differences, just as Malaysia reflects the diversity and harmony of its people.

Lake Gardens
These 92-hectare manicured gardens lie west of Merdeka Square and were once home to the ranking British official. There's plenty to keep you amused, including a butterfly park, planetarium, insect museum, walk-in aviary, orchid garden and hibiscus garden. You can also hire boats on Tasik Perdana (Premier Lake).

National Mosque
This uniquely designed mosque embodies a contemporary expression of traditional Islamic art, calligraphy and ornamentation. Its most striking feature is the multi-fold umbrella-like roof which symbolizes the aspirations of an independent nation. Standing prominently against the skyline is the sleek and stylish 73m high minaret.
The national mosque serves serves as the principal mosque for the city dwellers.

National Theatre
Permanent home of the National Theatre Company and the National Symphony Orchestra, the National Theatre is responsible for the development of all forms of theatrical art in Malaysia.
Designed as a functional building which not only reflects the beauty of form, the National Theatre is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment while still retaining the national heritage and traditional Malay design.

National Planetarium
This blue-domed structure is situated atop a hill in KL Lake Gardens. Its attractions include the space theatre whit screens space shows and movies. In the main hall are permanent exhibits related to space science. Among them is Arianne IV space engine - one of the engines used to launch MEASAT I, Malaysia's first satellite into space. Head towards the Observatory where on a full moon you can see the heavenly bodies through the 14-inch telescope. The planetarium extends to a space theme park where replicas of ancients observatories are sited. The planetarium is connected by an overhead pedestrian bridge to the National Museum.

National Sports Complex
The National Sports Complex situated on a 200 acre site in Bukit Jalil is the venue for sports and other functions. It houses the National Stadium, Putra Stadium, National Aquatic Centre, National Hockey Stadium and National Squash Centre. Traditional carvings adorn the main entrance of the National Stadium which was the venue for the opening, closing ceremonies and the track and field events during the Kuala Lumpur '98 XVI Commonwealth Games.