In light of the recent plight to conserve Convent Bukit Nanas as a heritage site, let’s take a moment to remember the other buildings that weren’t so lucky. Sure, abandoned old buildings look old and scary. Some might even have ghosts lurking around, waiting for the right moment to peek out from the shadows and say ‘hi’ to you. But that doesn’t matter!
What matters is the memories that these buildings held and the heritage they represented. Check out the top three buildings that have, sadly, been torn down.
1. Bukit Bintang Girls’ School
The girls’ school was established in 1893, and once stood tall and proud. It used to be known as the Chinese Girl’s School, but was rebranded when it moved onto Bukit Bintang Road in 1930. Ex-principal Mary Glasgow said that back in the 1930s, pupils were accompanied back and forth to school. She wrote,
“Many parents preferred to keep their daughters at home. So numbers were small. However time marches on and after the war there was tremendous pressure to get girls admitted.”
The oldest school in Kuala Lumpur, this historical educational institution was demolished to build a commercial site. Today, Pavilion KL stands in its place, attracting tourists and locals alike.
2. Bok House
Did you know that a block away from where the iconic Petronas Twin Towers are standing was the Bok House, which was demolished in 2006? Better known as Le Coq d’Or, the mansion was built in 1926 by Chua Cheng Bok and demolished by City Hall in 2006. On 21 December that same year, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said that,
“The cost of rehabilitating Bok House will be high and there is no significant history or aesthetic value attached to the building. The Government could also not save Bok House from being demolished because it is privately-owned and not registered as a heritage building.”
3. Pudu Jail
Next to the site of Berjaya Times Square was once a Chinese burial ground that was transformed into a prison. The structure of the building was shaped in an X when seen from an aerial view. The jail witnessed plenty of historical incidents from a cholera breakout (that killed a few hundred inmates) as well as a hostage crisis. It was the only prison at the time to keep male and female inmates with short sentences, before housing criminals like drug offenders.
We hope that the younger generations of this country would still be able to learn about their culture and heritage even if these buildings are no longer physically present.
*Cover image via Pinterest