Fantastic Malaysia Travel - Penang Heritage Trail

The 'Heritage Trail'
- Penang Town
Penang town was accepted into UNESCO as
a World Heritage Site in July 2008. With that
honor came the birth of the 'Heritage Trail', an
exciting glimpse of the past, take in a little
history of this fascinating island town and
walk the 'Heritage Trail'.

With a map of the trail in my hands, which I
grabbed off the reception desk, I strapped on
my walking sandals, put on my sunglasses,
filled up my water bottle and stepped off the
lobby of the Cititel Hotel, where I spent the
night. Located right in the heart of the
'Heritage Trail', Cititel is just the perfect place
to begin discovering the history of Penang.
Eager to get started, I look at my map to get
my bearings. "Hello, do you want to ride"?
"YES" .....why not cruise the sites first by way
of Trishaw - the limousine of the past... found
just outside the hotel!
Don't forget to check out the video of my
Trishaw ride!

St. Francis Xavier Church (Jalan Penang)
Situated behind the Catholic information
centre, the neighborhood church was built in
1867 on a plot of land donated by the Godfrey
Family. It is named after the famous ‘Apostle
of the Indies’ – Saint Francis Xavier, who
brought Christianity to Malacca in the 16th
century.

Residence of Ku Din Ku Meh (20 Jalan
Penang)
Born in Kedah in 1848, Ku Din Ku Meh was
just 14 years of age when he was appointed
the Head of Kedah Prisons. Picked by the
Sultan of Kedah to be the High
Commissioner of Setul (Satun- Thailand), Ku
Din brought about many positive changes to
Setul in the areas of administration,
agriculture, trade and commerce, and
education. He assumed the title of ‘Raja of
Setul’ in 1902 and traded actively with
Rangoon and Penang. He eventually moved
his trading office to this house on Jalan
Penang after he married a local Penang girl.

Christian Cemetary (Jalan Sultan Ahmad
Shah)
Shaded by Frangipani trees, it is the final
resting place of many of Penang’s European
pioneers and dignitaries like Sir Francis
Light, Quintin Dick Thomas (brother-in-law of
Sir Stamford Raffles), James Scott, Reverand
Hutchings, David Brown, George Earl (author
of Eastern Seas) and Thomas Leonowens.
The widow, of Thomas Leonowens, Anna
Leonowens, became a school mistress in
the royal household of Siam in the 19th
century, which inspired the film ‘The King and
I’ and more recently ‘Anna and the King’
which was partially filmed in Penang.

Penang State Museum (Lebuh Farquhar)
Opened in 1965, it occupies the former
premises of Penang Free School which was
established in 1816. Housed in only half the
building as the eastern half was destroyed
during the bomb raids of World War II, the
Museum reopened in 1997 after major
renovations. It showcases Penang’s history,
culture, costumes, communities and
customs, historical places, municipal history,
houses of worship and traditional trades.
Visiting hours: 9am – 5pm daily (except
Fridays)
Fee: RM 1.00

Cathedral of the Assumption (Lebuh
Farquhar)
The church was named after the first Roman
Catholic community that arrived in Penang
from Kedah in 1786, on the eve of the Feast
of the Assumption. Elevated to the status of
Cathedral by the Diocese of Penang in 1955,
the church was renovated to seat the first
Bishop of Penang.

Saint Xavier’s Institution (Lebuh Farquhar)
This is the oldest Roman Catholic boys
school in Malaysia. Founded in the 1850’s by
the La Salle Brothers, it was run by the Irish
members of the Order well into modern
times. The school was reopened in 1954 in
its present state after the Moorish style
school building was bombed in World War II
as it was used as a Japanese naval base at
the time.

Hainanese Mariners’ Lodge/Penang
Heritage Trust
(26-A Lorong Stewart)
Travelling Hainanese sailors and some of
their families were accommodated in this
lodge which is now the office of the Penang
Heritage Trust. Offering a one-stop
information centre on heritage sites, projects,
tours and accommodation, it also sells
heritage keepsakes and related items.

Carpenters’s Guild (70 Lorong Love)
The Carpenters Guild or Loo Pun Hong, is
dedicated to Lo Pan, patron deity of
carpenters and other building artisans.
Members of this guild (who were the
predecessors of today’s associations of
building professionals) constructed many of
the heritage buildings in Penang.

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (Lebuh Leith)
The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was the home
to Cheong Fatt Tze, a powerful Nanyang
industrialist who was regarded as the most
prominent historic personalities of the East.
He arrived in Java as a penniless immigrant
and prospered from Dutch contracts there.
He then moved to Penang where he built his
mansion and family home in 1880. This
architectural legacy, a masterpiece of
exceptional quality, design and
craftsmanship, has been recently restored by
its new owners to its former glory and is well
worth a visit. House tours are conducted at
11am and 3pm at RM12 per person.

Goldsmith’s Guild (41 Lebuh Muntri)
Founded in 1832, the Goldsmith’s Guild or
Kam Hong is the oldest and largest guild for
the goldsmiths of Malaysia. This present
temple was built in 1903 and dedicated to Wu
Ching, the patron deity of goldsmiths.

Hainan Temple (Lebuh Muntri)
Called the The Temple of the Heavenly
Queen (Thean Ho Keong), this temple dates
back to 1895 and dedicated to the goddess
Ma Chor, the patron saint of seafarers. It is a
common temple for the different migrant
groups from the Hainan Province of South
China. This century old temple was
remodeled with stone carvings and swirling
dragon pillars by craftsmen from China to
commemorate its centenary celebrations in
1995.

Kapitan Kling Mosque
This mosque is named after an Indian
Muslim Merchant "kapitan Kling" (headman)
Caudeer Mohudeen who built it in the early
19th century.

Goddess of Mercy Temple
One of the oldest Chinese temples in
Penang, the Kuan Yin Teng or Goddess of
Mercy Temple was built in 1800 by immigrant
settles from China. The temple is guarded by
intricately crafted dragons and stone lions.

Video of the Penang Heritage Trail
'Ride the Trishaw'

Contributed by Cititel Penang

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
The Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in George Town is one of the oldest Hindu temples in
Penang. Its beginnings can be traced back to as early as 1801, when it was a small shrine.
The Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in George Town is one of the oldest Hindu temples in
Penang. Its beginnings can be traced back to as early as 1801, when it was a small shrine.
Penang's rapid growth as a trading hub especially of goods such as nutmeg, clove and
pepper attracted traders from Europe, America, Arabia, India and China. These traders
eventually settled down in Penang.

At the same time, seeing the need for a proper worshipping space for the increasing Indian
community on the island, the shrine was expanded into a proper temple. It was then was
founded. It was decorated by artisans and built in elaborate South Indian architecture.
Statues of Hindu Gods, goddesses and sacred animals adorn the temple throughout.
There is also a priceless statue of Lord Subramaniam, the revered Hindu deity, adorned in
gold, diamonds and emerald finery.

Kuan Yin Temple
The Kuan Yin Temple was built in the 1800s by early Chinese settlers of the Hokkien and
Cantonese communities. The temple was originally named Kong Hock Keong temple
(Cantonese-Hokkien Temple) and was once used not only for religious but also for social
functions within the Chinese community. However, the temple lost some of its importance
when the current Chinese Town Hall was constructed in the 1880s.

The Goddess of Mercy Temple, or Kuan Yin Temple, is the first temple ever built in
Georgetown, Penang, by Chinese settlers. The temple honours Kuan Yin, a devout Buddhist
who was said to have attained the coveted state of Nirvana but had chosen instead to
remain on earth in order to provide guidance and help to those who are themselves striving
to reach Nirvana. The temple interior is usually filled with the scent of sandalwood incense,
burnt by devotees who visit the temple to pray and seek guidance from Kuan Yin.

The temple also honours Ma Chor Poh, the patron saint of seafarers, who was highly
regarded by the Chinese settlers, many of whom had travelled great distances, crossing the
seas from China to Penang.

Enjoy the temple's many beautiful features like the dragon-entwined pillars, carved from a
type of green stone, which support the temple's high roof. Also look for the statue of Kuan
Yin, located in an inner chamber, which depicts a woman with 18 arms, who has a
countenance which exudes inner peace and worldly contentment.

Kapitan Keling Mosque
The Kapitan Keling Mosque was first erected by the troops of the East India Company who
were some of Penang's first Muslim settlers, in the late 1700s. Several years later, the
growing Indian Muslim community required a more permanent mosque. In 1801, the
community, led by their leader, Cauder Mydin Merican or also referred to as 'Kapitan Keling',
was granted with an 18-acre lot. Made of brick, the original mosque was a single-storey
structure, but over the years, the mosque has seen plenty of renovation works.

Surrounded by a low wall, this white-washed mosque is adorned with yellow Moghul-style
found within the mosque's compound. The tall minaret, once used by the muezzin to deliver
his call to prayers, is located on the corner of Buckingham and Pitt Street.

Pinang Peranakan Mansion
The Pinang Peranakan Mansion is a stately mansion, refurbished to reflect bygone days of
the Straits Chinese settlement in Penang. The Pinang Peranakan Mansion is filled with
more than 1,000 antiques and collectibles. The residence is unique and incorporates
various Chinese architecture. The townhouse, built in the 1890s incorporates Chinese
carved-wood panels, with English floor tiles and Scottish iron works. Take note that
photography is not allowed within the mansion.

Trishaw Ride. Catch one when you are in this
laid back beach town.