Unlike many other capital cities of the world, Putrajaya is a fairly young city, with innovative architecture, community-centric town planning and long term ambitions. The vision to have a new Federal Government Administrative Centre to replace Kuala Lumpur as the administrative capital was first mooted by Malaysia's 4th Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad in the late 1980s. The land on which Putrajaya now stands was formerly known as Prang Besar, part of the state of Selangor.
What you see today is a far cry from the original Prang Besar, where rubber and palm oil plantations dominated the terrain. Construction began in August 1995, and on 1st February 2001, Tun Dr. Mahathir declared Putrajaya as a Federal Territory. Planned as a garden and intelligent city, 38% of the area is reserved for green. Putrajaya Lake make up about 12% of Putrajaya and has now become the main feature of Putrajaya. It functions as both a recreational area and scenic element, as well as being an environmental filter and cooling system.
Apart from the buildings with impressive architecture, there are eight majestic bridges that were constructed over Putrajaya Lake at various points. These have become favourite subject matters of photography enthusiasts. Visitors can best enjoy the beauty of the lake and Putrajaya, via Cruise Tasik Putrajaya that allows visitors to view Putrajaya at a very intimate and unique perspective. Putrajaya has been the venue for high-profile events such as international hot air balloons festivals, flower carnivals, the Le Tour De Langkawi, and international waterski championships. Putrajaya is a must for all visitors to Malaysia; the biggest landmark in Malaysia!
