Chettiar House

Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas


The traditional glazed ceramic tiles and peacock designs decorating this house are typical of the homes built by the Chettiar community from southern India, who set up money-lending businesses along Lebuh Ampang.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas attractions

1. Sampan Boy Mural

0.02 MILES

Covering the side of a building and overlooking a parking lot, the subject of star Lithuanian street artist Ernest Zacharevic's first contribution to KL's…

2. Lat Cartoon Sculptures

0.08 MILES

The cartoonist known as Lat (his real name is Mohammad Nor Khalid) is a beloved figure in the Malaysian media. Fun, life-size sculptures based on his…

3. St John's Cathedral

0.09 MILES

This twin-spired structure (established 1883) is the 'mother church' of the Catholic religion in KL. The church was elevated to cathedral status in 1962.

4. Telekom Museum

0.1 MILES

Housed in the beautifully renovated former telephone exchange building, this interesting museum has creatively designed displays on the history of…

5. BRAVE Mural

0.12 MILES

Next to the Menara Maybank Building is this massive wall mural of a boy in tiger hat, by artists Anokayer and Yumz.

6. Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad

0.16 MILES

This graceful, onion-domed mosque, designed by British architect AB Hubback, borrows Mogul and Moorish styles with its brick-and-plaster banded minarets…

7. Masjid India

0.18 MILES

The original wooden mosque that gave the area its name was built in 1883, and replaced by a bulky red-granite tiled modern structure in 1963. It's not…

8. Medan Pasar

0.2 MILES

Pedestrianised Medan Pasar was once the heart of Chinatown. Kapitan Yap Ah Loy, often cited as one of KL's founders, lived here, and in addition to…