Founded in 1728, Kampung Hulu Mosque is widely recognized as the oldest functioning mosque in Malaysia still standing on its original site. It was commissioned during the Dutch colonial era by Datuk Haji Shamsuddin, a Chinese Muslim financier, following a new Dutch policy of religious pluralism.
The mosque's design is a "cultural crossroads," blending Malay, Chinese, Javanese, and Sumatran aesthetics. This syncretism is evident in its use of Chinese ceramic floor tiles and roof materials imported from the Qing Empire, paired with traditional Malay woodwork. For nearly three centuries, it has served as a spiritual hub in Melaka’s old commercial district, surviving the transition of power from the Dutch to the British and eventually to an independent Malaysia.