The magical city of Putrajaya

The planned city of Putrajaya is Malaysia federal administrative capital that is located at a distance of 25 km to the south of Kuala Lumpur.  This modern planned city which was constructed in the 1990s, may not have all the buzz and excitement of KL but it has a few attractions which are well worth exploring, like interesting buildings and mosques, lush green parks, attention-grabbing bridges and a central 650 hectare man-made lake which offers opportunities for boating and is designed to control floods as well as cool down the city.

Listed below are some of the main attractions of this planned city:-

Parks

If you have a passion for parks and green spaces, then you are in luck in Putrajaya for the city is home to some of the nicest urban parks in Malaysia like the Putrajaya Botanical garden, a manicured park that showcases more than 700 species of tropical plants and trees, the Wetlands Park which is believed to host the largest man-made freshwater wetland area in the tropics and  the Agriculture Heritage Park which provides much information about revenue generating Malaysian crops like rubber, palm oil, cocoa and more. Other green spaces of note in Putrajaya, are the Putra Perdana Park  which hosts the Putrajaya Landmark and the Taman Wawasan, a peaceful enclave equipped with bicycle and jogging paths, lotus ponds and even  a pebble beach.

The Putrajaya Mosque

The Putrajaya Mosque is one of most important landmarks in the city. This mosque which  has been constructed out of pink granite has been modeled on the King Hassan Mosque in Casablanca. The Putrajaya Mosque can accommodate 15000 worshippers at a time.

The Prime Minister’s Office-Perdana Putra

This large green domed edifice is one of the most important buildings in Malaysia, for it contains the offices of the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and other bigwigs in the government. Located in front of the Perdana Putra is the Perdana square which is used for the celebration of festivals like the Malaysian Independence Day parade.

Seri Perdana

The Seri Perdana complex is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. This sprawling complex contains landscaped gardens and three main areas, though it can be viewed only from outside as it is not accessible to the general public.

Bridges

The city of Putrajaya is crisscrossed by several interestingly designed bridges like the Putra Bridge, the Seri Perdana Bridge, the Seri Bakti Bridge and the Seri Gemilang Bridge. Most of these Putrajaya bridges are illuminated at night and present a pretty sight.

The Millennium Monument

The Millennium Monument or ‘Monumen Alaf Baru’ is a tall obelisk in Putrajaya which is believed to have been  modeled on the Washington monument. The Millennium monument rises to a height of 68m and is located within a leafy park situated in an area of Putrajaya known as Precinct 2. The lower rungs of the solid metal structure feature etchings that commemorate important milestones and periods of Malaysia’s history.  The park which hosts the Millennium Monument also hosts some of Putrajaya’s popular events like the annual Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta and Floria Putrajaya, an annual flower and garden festival.

Recreational activities in Putrajaya

Aside from sightseeing, Putrajaya also offer visitors the chance to take a leisurely cruise aboard an air-conditioned boat or gondola on its man-made lake or then hire a bike from a local bike shop and ride along the wide, tree-lined pathways of the city to take in its many marvelous sights.