A townhouse along Cecil Street.
Category: Architecture
George Town Street View: Cecil Street
Cecil Street (or Lebuh Cecil) is one of the streets located at an area known as the Seven Streets Precinct, a working class neighborhood. The street was named after Sir Cecil Clementi Smith, the Governor of the Straits Settlements back then. The street is also locally known as the “7th road” in Chinese Hokkien.
George Town Street View: A Curious Window Art
An interesting window covered by various beautiful tiles at a townhouse located along a small alley between Market Lane and Stewart Lane, George Town.
George Town Street View: China Street
China Street (or Lebuh China), is one of the main streets within the heritage area of George Town. The Kuan Yin temple of Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (Pitt Street) faces this road directly.
Muntri Street Townhouses
Old pre-war townhouses along Muntri Street in George Town.
Love Lane Townhouses
Old pre-war townhouses such as these are a common nostalgic sight if one walks along the heritage street of Love Lane in George Town.
Penang Isle: Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Centre
The Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Centre is located at Macalister Road, George Town and is housed within the Penang Philomatic Union building (also the building’s former name). It was said that the Penang Philomatic Union was founded by a political party supporting Dr Sun Yat-sen (the founder of Republic of China) in 1908, and had provided some of the staunchest supporters of his cause for a Free World. Dr Sun Yat-sen also reportedly conducted his first speech in Penang at this building.
Penang Street Art (The Chinese Bard)
This art mural depicts a local Chinese bard named Tan Tong Tong who was famous as a Yue Qin (a traditional Chinese lute) musician during the 1950s to 1960s. He had a local radio program back then which was broadcasting his recordings before it got cancelled.
This rather secluded mural can be found along a small alley between Bishop Street and Light Street which also connects King Street and Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (Pitt Street).
It is right at the back of the Delta (office furniture shop) building. For its precise location, please click HERE.
The Northam Lodge
This elaborated European inspired mansion is located at the Northam Road (or Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah) in George Town.
This beautiful mansion was built by a famous architect named James Stark back in the year 1911 for Heah Swee Lee, a wealthy and successful rubber and sugar planter. The mansion was a symbol of George Town’s high society back then and even Straits Settlements Legislative Councillor A. R. Adams praised the owner for his “splendid domicile” and the architect on the “excellent results.
The mansion was originally named Northam Lodge before a subsequent change of ownership and was later renamed as Soonstead Mansion.
Penang Isle: Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
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 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.
The mansion now serves as both a museum (with guided group tours) and a boutique hotel at the heart of Penang’s heritage zone. There is a daily guided heritage tours of the house in English (11am / 1.30pm / 3pm) with an admission fee RM 12 per person. For more information, please visit its official page HERE.