Buildings

The historical buildings of Penang are symbols of its cultural heritage that continue to awe and inspire visitors today. Some of these tourist attractions include; the Penang City Hall, a magnificent colonial mansion with beautiful architecture; Fort Cornwallis, a largely intact British fortress that is one of the biggest in Southeast Asia; Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, built by a Chinese millionaire to honour the British Queen; and much more to see.

The Penang City Hall is one of Malaysia's national monuments, being a historical building made with fine British Palladian architecture. The gigantic mansion was established since 1903, and still continues to serve the local council and state authorities faithfully in their day-to-day administration of Penang. Its features of Corinthian columns and Victorian windows are similar to the nearby Penang Town Hall.

Visitors and tourists can marvel at its colonial architecture from its location in Jalan Padang Kota Lama, which faces the Esplanade and sits across from Fort Cornwallis. The buildings consist of a magnificent council chamber, main lobby, councilors’ offices, mezzanine floor, dining hall and toilets. A small monument that sits outside at the Esplanade is a memorial to victims of the world war, called the Cenotaph. The City Hall is open from Mondays till Saturdays to the public for viewing.

Fort Cornwallis was constructed by the founder of Penang, Captain Francis Light, in 1786 at the very place that he first step foot on in Penang. Today, it is now a popular tourist attraction in Jalan Padang Kota Lama, Georgetown. Fort Cornwallis is also the largest fort still standing in Malaysia, probably because in its entire history, the fort has never seen battle! Originally, it was meant to protect Penang from pirates, Kedah and French forces.

Today, the 10 foot stone and brick walls of the fort (when looked from above, the walls are shaped like a star) enclose ancient structures including a British chapel, prison cells, barracks, flagstaff, ammunitions storage bay and a harbour light for guiding ships in the sea. A deep moat used to wind around the perimeter of the fort, which has old cannons placed randomly at certain parts on top of the walls. Of these canons, the most famous is the Seri Rambai Cannon, which was actually a gift from the Dutch to Acheh before it was seized by the British. Some say the cannon has mystical powers that can cure infertility problems in barren women. In the center of the fort, a tourist kiosk, history gallery, restaurant, open-air stage and souvenir shop can be found for the benefit of tourists and visitors. Guides dress in smart colonial soldier outfits provide tours to explore the fort and explain its rich heritage and history.