Category: Architecture

Penang Isle: Wat Buppharam Temple

The Buppharam Buddhist Temple (Wat Buppharam), located at Pulau Tikus in Penang, was built in the year 1942 by Luang Por Sri Keow, a Buddhist monk. The name Wat Buppharam is also known as Flower Temple. Various legendary and mythical figures of Buddhism and Taoisim origins can be found around the temple complex. The temple is well known for its ‘Lifting Buddha’, a 100-years old Buddha statue where worshippers seek answers or prayers from. Besides that, the temple also offers services such as providing protective amulets.

The temple recently has an official website at http://www.watbuppharam.com/.

Penang Isle: Straits Quay

The Straits Quay is set within the waterfront community of Seri Tanjung Penang. It’s a 12.4-acre retail enclave offers everything from boutiques to bistros, signatures seafood restaurants to seaside cafes, antique shops to art galleries, bars and boatrides. Service apartments were also built around Waterside and the Marina with views facing the berths and the sea, hence, providing a nice seafront living. The Straits Quay is part of the Seri Tanjung Pinang project by E&O developments.

Penang Bridge

Constructed in 1982 and completed in 1985, the Penang Bridge connects the Penang island (Gelugor area) and its mainland (Seberang Prai area) at the peninsular with more than 65,000 vehicles traveling across it daily. The tolled bridge’s fees is only paid when heading to the island. There is no charge for leaving the island. After construction works of Penang Bridge were completed in 1985, Penang Island became the first and only island in Malaysia to be connected to the mainland through land transport.

Penang Bridge International Marathon is an international and widely popular event held annually. During this special day, the bridge will be closed completely.

Penang Isle: Tanjung City Marina

Tanjung City Marina, which is located at George Town, is formerly known as the Church Street Pier. The marina is located at the Weld Quay area between the Penang Island Ferry Terminal and the Penang Island Swettenham Port. The marina is open to the public and caters to vessels with maximum draft of up to 4 meters. Some of the facilities and services available at the marina complex include Customs, Immigration and Port Clearance (CIP), refueling facilities and repairs as well as maintenance works. Two restaurants, a cafe and a convenience store are also located at the marina.

Penang Isle: Hindu Temple

As a multi-racial and multi-cultural state, Penang is home to various places of worship catering to different religions. The old Hindu temples in Penang were first built by Indian labourers as well as prisoners brought over from South India by the British during the colonial times. Most of these temples still remained today as devotees flock to the temples during significant days and festivals. The Hindu temples in Penang are built with detailed and unique architecture mostly featuring figurines of various Hindu deities on the roof and walls of the temples.

Penang Isle: The Floating Mosque

The Floating Mosque (or in Malay called Masjid Terapung) is built after the 2004 tsunami disaster that hit the island’s coast and destroyed a nearby mosque. The large Malay mosque is located at the bay in Tanjung Bungah, which one can easily spot if going along the main road to Batu Ferringhi. The mosque is built standing on pilings and stilts and is also the first mosque to be built in the sea in Malaysia.

Penang Isle: Old City Hall and Town Hall

The Penang Old City Hall and Town Hall are located next to each other at the Esplanade. The two buildings, also located at the World Heritage Site, are fine examples of British colonial buildings and architecture.

The Old City Hall was built in 1903 with a typical design of the British Palladian architecture during the British colonial era. The design of the Old City Hall is almost similar to the nearby Old Town Hall, which features the balcony as a main element overlooking the esplanade. The Old City Hall is currently houses the offices of the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP).

The Old Town Hall (as shown below) was once a premier site for social gathering and activities in George Town for the town’s European community and is also the oldest Municipal Building in Penang. The building’s foundation was first laid on 1st January 1879 by Lt. Governor Sir Archibald Edward Harbord Anson. The building was built over a land area of 70,711 square feet facing the famous Esplanade. Upon completion in 1880, the building was officiated by Frederick Weld, the then Governor of the Straits Settlements.

Penang Isle: The Cenotaph

The Cenotaph located at the Esplanade is a historical and heritage war memorial erected by the British empire. The cenotaph was unveiled by the Prince of Wales on 31 March 1922, at the Esplanade seafront to remember the losses during World War I battles.

The Penang Veterans Association also built another small monument besides the cenotaph to remember those killed in World War II, Siam-Burma Death Railway, Malayan Emergency, Indonesian Confrontation and the Reinsurgency period.