George Town

George Town is the main town on the Malaysian island of Penang and the capital of the state of Penang. It has a Chinese atmosphere and some its older neighborhoods look like they haven't changed for 50 years. George Town is a compact place and easily explored on foot. It boasts numerous old Chinese houses and vegetable markets and you will probably see various temple ceremonies, trishaws squeezing through the chaotic traffic and old people play mahjong games, if you spend there a few days or so.

In 1786, when the first Briton, Captain Light set foot on Penang Island, it was virtually uninhabited.

Points of interest

The British established George Town as a free port and within decades had built the stone fort of Cornwallis. Most of the fort still stands and within its walls is now a park, where you can see countless old cannons, many of which where retrieved from local pirates. The largest and most important cannon is known as Seri Rambai, or 'the big one'. The 17th-century cannon is said to possess procreative powers and local, childless women place flowers in the barrel of the cannon, as they believe it might change their luck and maybe they'll get children.
Georgetown Central Fire Station dates from 1908.
Penang City Hall.
Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower.

Religious buildings

George Town is home to a number of beautiful temples and mosques. They include:

The Arulmigu Sri Mahamariamman Temple was built in 1833, making it the oldest Hindu temple in Penang. It is also referred to as Mariamman Temple, Queen Street Indian Temple, Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple, Sri Arulmigu Mahamariamman Temple and Sri Mariamman Temple. The temple's façade features sculptures of gods and goddesses. it is located in Queen Street.
The Dhammikarama Burmese Temple (ဓမ္မိကာရာမမြန်မာကျောင်း) is a Theravada Buddhist temple. It is the only Burmese temple in Penang and the center of the annual Water, Thingyan, Mid-Autumn and Lent festivals. The temple is located at Lorong Burma, opposite the Wat Chayamangkalaram. It was built in 1803.
The Kāppittāṉ Keliṅa Macūti (காப்பித்தான் கெலிங மசூதி, Kapitan Keling Mosque) was built at the beginning of the 19th century. The mosque got its name from the South Indian community that lived in the area, who were referred to as the 'Keling' community. Nowadays it is a derogatory term, but in those days it was common to refer to people of Indian origin as 'Keling'. A renovation in 1930 gave the mosque its current appearance. The Kapitan Keling Mosque is located at the corner of Lebuh Buckingham (Buckingham Street) and Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (Pitt Street), in the center of the city's Tamil Muslim neighbourhood, also knwon as the chulias.
Kek Lok Si (极乐寺, jílè sì) is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. It is a popular pilgrimage temple for people throughout southeast Asia. Construction of the temple started in 1890, but it was not completed until 1930. It includes the 7-storey tall Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda, which features 10,000 alabaster and bronze statues of Buddha. A statue of Guanyin (Kuan Yin), the Goddess of Mercy, towers abover the complex, as it is 36.5 m (120 ft) tall. The temple is located at Ayer Itam.
The Kuan Yin Teng Temple in the old center of George Town is one of the most popular temples on Penang. It attracts numerous worshippers, who burn paper money at its furnaces and night-time puppet shows, as well as Chinese theatre performances are held there frequently.
The Leong San Khoo Kongsi (龍山堂邱公司), or Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi, often shortened to just 'Khoo Kongsi, is the largest Hokkien clanhouse in Malaysia. It includes beautifully ornamented architectural features. The clan temple includes an association building, a traditional theater and rowhouses for clan members, dating from the 19th century. The buildings are located in Cannon Square in the center of town. The temple was completed in 1906.
Wat Chayamangkalaram (วัดไชยมังคลาราม) is also known as Wat Chaiyamangkhalaram, or the Chayamangkalaram Buddhist Temple. The Theravada Buddhist temple was constructed in 1845, making it the oldest Siamese temple in Penang. It is located at Lorong Burma, in the neighborhood of Pulau Tikus, opposite the Dhammikarama Burmese Temple. The annual Songkran, Loy Krathong and Vesak Day festivals are centered on Wat Chayamangkalaram.

Modern architecture

There are numerous tall skyscrapers in George Town. Some of the tallest ones include:

The Tun Abdul Razak Complex is commonly known as Komtar. It consists of 5 buildings in George Town's CBD. The first parts of the complex opened in 1976. Its central skyscraper was completed in 1985 and it is known as the Komtar Tower. At the time of its construction it was the tallest skyscraper in Southeast Asia. It was renovated in 2015 and its height was increased to 249 m (817 ft). It features a viewing platform at 239 metres (784 ft) that provides excellent views over the island of Penang and beyond.
Marriott Residences Penang is a 223 m (732 ft) tall residential skyscraper, located at Gurney Drive in George Town's CBD. The building has 55 floors and it was completed in 2024.
Muze @ PICC consists of 2 skyscrapers, the tallest of which is 205.5 m (674 ft) tall. It is located at the township of Bayan Baru.

Parks

The Penang Botanic Gardens was established in 1884 and it was the first botanical garden in Malaysia. The botanical garden is part of the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve.
The nearby City Park was laid out in 1972.
Penang National Park lies within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve. It covers 12.6 km² of coastal hills, meromictic lakes, mangroves and stretches out into the ocean to include coral reefs. Beaches such as Pantai Kerachut, Pantai Mas, Teluk Kampi and Teluk Ketapang are also included in the national park, as they are used by turtles to lay their eggs.
Gurney Bay is a 24.28 ha park that was laid out on reclaimed land along Gurney Drive. The park features 4 different sections:
- an artificial beach
- a coastal grove
- a food and beverage area (F&B)
- water gardens
It is promoted as a waterfront destination.
The enang Green Connectors Project aims to connect George Town's green spaces with ecological corridors. The project includes 50 km (31 mi) of coastal parks and 65 km (40 mi) of riverine systems. The city also constructs pedestrian and cycling paths throughout the city.

Around George Town

From George Town, you can take the funicular railway up 830 m (2,722 ft) high Penang Hill, for marvelous views over the city and the rest of Penang Island. Especially in the evening, when it gets dark and all the lights in George Town start shining, the view is stunning. On the hill, the air is much fresher and less sticky than down below and there are some nice gardens, a Hindu temple and mosque, as well as a hotel.

More hotels can be found in George Town itself. Most budget places are located along Lebuh Chulia, while the more expensive ones are on Jalan Penang. There are countless Chinese and Indian restaurants in George Town, but cheaper food is available from the town's street stalls that start showing up along the Esplanade after dusk.

George Town is often visited by cruise-ships and its Swettenham Pier is the busiest cruise terminal in Malaysia.

George Town is 290 km northwest of Kuala Lumpur. In 2008, George Town's city center was added to UNESCO's list of world heritage sites.

George Town

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