"The Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca: Melaka and George Town" meet the criteria of outstanding universal values in that they are:

Criteria ii
to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design.

Criteria iii
to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared.

Criteria iv
to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history.

 

Outstanding Universal Values

ii) Historic trading port : "The Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca : Melaka and George Town" represent exceptional examples of multi-cultural trading towns in East and Southeast Asia, forged from the mercantile and civilization exchanges of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European cultures”.

iii) Multi-cultural living heritage : “The Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca : Melaka and George Town" are living testimony to the multi-cultural heritage and tradition of Asia, where the greatest religions, and cultures met. The coexistence of distinct faiths – both tangible and intangible – in particular the different religious buildings, is a testament to the religious pluralism of Asia.

iv) Unique architecture : "The Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca : Melaka and George Town" reflect the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Malay Archipelago and from India and China with those of Europe to create a unique architecture, culture and townscape without parallel anywhere in the East and South East Asia. In particular a  range of exceptional architecture of shophouses and townhouses.