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Fort Cornwallis
Francis Light first landed at this very spot to
"conquer" Penang Island in 1786 and to
date, it is the most well preserved fort in West
Malaysia. Within the walls of the fort is a remarkable
cannon called Seri Rambai. It is famed for its procreative
powers, and childless women place flowers in the
barrel of the cannon and offer special prayers.
City Hall
Boasting impressive Victorian-style public architecture,
this place was opened in 1903 and till today, the
Municipal Councillors convene here regularly. You
can see the Esplanade from here and to the far end
of the Esplanade is the Cenotaph, built in memory
of those who perished in World War I.
Kapitan Keling Mosque
Crowned with yellow domes, this is the largest historic
mosque in Penang built before 1800. This is the
place of worship for the Indian Muslim community
in Penang. The mosque has been enlarged several
times to its current size and the beautiful minaret
dates back to 1916.
Penang State Museum
Re-opened after a major renovation, the exhibits
here are organised according to the various communities
in Penang, their customs and costumes, historic
places, houses of worship and so on. Among the original
collections on display are a hand-written Quran
and old Malay weapons.
Carpenters' Guild
Also known as Lo Pan Hang, this association is for
the Cantonese carpenters and other builders, whose
forefathers constructed many of Penang's heritage
buildings. All builders, who came to Malaya from
their home country, first stayed at the Carpenters'
Guild before spreading out to other parts of Malaysia.
Christian Cemetery
This is the final resting place for many early European
pioneers including Francis Light. Another personality
who was buried here was Thomas Leonowens, the husband
of Anna Leonowens who inspired the movie "The
King And I".
Cathedral Of The Assumption
Francis Light arranged for the first batch of Roman
Catholics to be brought over from Kedah shortly
after he arrived in 1786. It was a coincidence that
they arrived on the eve of the Feast Of The Assumption,
hence the name. In 1955, the church was raised to
the status of a Cathedral.
St. George's Church
St. George's Church was built in 1818 and it is
one of the oldest landmarks in Malaysia. Dedicated
to the patron saint of England, it was the first
Anglican Church built in the diocese of Singapore
and Malaya. Within the compound of the Church stands
a monument to the memory of Captain Francis Light.
Find out more about Penang at the Penang Tourism
website:
http://www.tourismpenang.gov.my/index.cfm. |
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