Describe a historical place/site you have been to.
You should say:
- what place/site it is
- what people can see there
- what you enjoyed there the most
and explain how you felt about being there.
[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer:
Malacca city in Malaysia is quite a unique place which I have been lucky enough to visit a couple of years ago. And specifically, Saint Paul’s Hill in Malacca is a great historic place to be. This site dates back to the time when the Portuguese conquered the city in 1511, and I would like to talk about this mesmerising place for this topic.
Saint Paul’s Hill is in the heart of Malacca city and a popular tourist destination. Malacca has so many historical and unique tourist attractions and sites which I enjoyed to the fullest, but nothing beats Saint Paul’s Hills. The Saint Paul’s Church is at the top of the hill and it was built by the Portuguese Catholics. These days, only the walls, frames and a glimpse of an astounding architectural style remain, but the historical prominence and its glory are still boasting its significance in every way possible.
When the Dutch invaded the city in around 1641, the church was used as a burial place. Later, during the British colony, the Church was used as a powder magazine. A statue of Saint Francis Xavier still stands there who used to preach in the church. I learned about so many historic facts while visiting this place from a tour guide that we hired.
St. Paul’s Hill also bears the presence of Stadthuys and the Christian church, which signifies the Dutch era in Malacca. The hill also has a replica of the ‘Melaka Sultanate Palace’ which gave me immense pleasure when I visited there. Finally, I also noticed an entrance to the Portuguese fortress which I liked the most due to its extraordinary presence and architectural style.
The experience of walking at Saint Paul’s Hill on a fine afternoon and witnessing so many interesting historical significance was something I will remember for a long time. I enjoyed every bit of my time when I visited there and I hope to visit it again if time permits me.