Pre-war townhouses featuring Straits Eclectic architecture style found at Muntri Street, George Town.
Muntri Street is one of the old streets in George Town, and was named after a person called Ngah Ibrahim. Ngah Ibrahim was appointed the “Orang Kaya Mantri of Larut” in 1858, and the word Muntri was derived from Mantri or Menteri, a Malay word for a government Minister. Ngah Ibrahim was the administrator of the district of Larut in the late 1800s.
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is a historical and cultural rich building located along Leith Street in George Town, Penang. A winner of multiple historical and heritage awards including the “Most Excellent Project” Award at the UNESCO Heritage Awards 2000, the blue mansion is one of the most visited places and a definite tourist destination in Penang. The mansion is said to be one of the two of its kind outside China which also features architecture design of both Chinese and Western influences. The mansion was built by a famous Chinese merchant in 1880s named Cheong Fatt Tze and it has 38 rooms, 5 granite-paved courtyards, 7 staircases with 220 vernacular timber louvre windows.
During his time, Cheong Fatt Tze was also known as the “the Rockefeller of the East” and had helped a lot in building business and diplomatic relationship between the Chinese and Western governments. His legacy and contributions in the were so influential that during his death, top Chinese officials came all the way from China to attend his funeral while both the British and the Dutch authorities ordered flags to be flown at half mast in honour of him.
Featured in a number of movies (such as Crazy Rich Asians), the mansion now also houses a boutique hotel and a restaurant. It is also opens for public guided tour for a few slots of time of the day.
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Leith Street, George Town.
Heritage pre-war townhouses along Presgrave Street, George Town.
Colourful heritage style windows of the Church Street, George Town.
Toh Aka Lane is a small alley within the inner city of George Town. A number of the old heritage townhouses here are owned by the Cheah clan members as they have been living here since the 1800s.
Buddha statues overlooking the balcony of a temple building at famous Kek Lok Si temple, Penang.
Today is the Wesak Day, a day when Buddhists in Malaysia celebrate Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death. Normally, there will be Wesak Day procession in George Town as part of the celebration.
Heritage pre-war shophouses found at Love Lane, George Town.
