Places to Visit / Attractions Archives - Page 31 of 34

Penang Jewish Cemetery

The Penang Jewish Cemetery was established in 1805 and is the oldest Jewish cemetery (and likely the only one) in the country. It is located on a plot of land situated alongside Jalan Zainal Abidin (formerly Jahudi Road), a small link road located between Burmah and MacAlister Roads in George Town.

The oldest Jewish tombstone at the cemetery is dated 9 July 1835 which is believed to have belonged to the English Jewess that was the benefactor who donated the land where the current cemetery stands. Most of the graves within the cemetery are built resembling a triangular vaulted-lid casket (like the ossuaries commonly found in Israel). There are approximately 107 graves located in the cemetery, with the most recent tombstone dated 2011 which belonged to the final member of the Jewish community in Penang.

Penang in Black and White

Penang Isle: Nagore Durgha Sheriff (or Nagore Dargha Sheriff)

Nagore Durgha Sheriff mosque located at the intersection of King Street and Chulia Street is a small shrine built in honor of a Muslim saint. The shrine which was built in the 1800s, is located at the the heritage zone of George Town and is found to be the oldest Indian Muslim shrine in Penang.

A Stroll along King Street

King Street or Lebuh King, is a historical old street located within the central heritage site of George Town and was named after King George III. As one of the original major roads in George Town during the British colonial era, King Street has several Cantonese style temples as well as various old heritage townhouses.

George Town Street View: CAMPBELL STREET (LEBUH CAMPBELL)

Campbell Street is one of the popular streets in George Town and is accessible from Penang Road and a number of other smaller streets. The street was found to be named after the Penang Inspector General Sir George William Robert Campbell, who was also the acting Lieutenant-Governor of Penang between 1872 and 1873.

The street is called “Sin Kay” by the local Hokkiens, meaning ‘new street’ and can also be referred to as ‘fresh chickens (another term for prostitutes in Hokkien)’. This is because back in the old days, the street was also famous as a red light district which attracted newly arrived prostitutes from Macau port (consisted mostly of Cantonese migrants). However, during the mid 20th century, the street became an important shopping street for the locals looking to buy various items such as clothes, watches and shoes.