An Islander's Perspective of Penang
The tower of Acheen Street Mosque comes into view as one walks along Cannon Street. The popular ‘A Boy Reaching Up’ mural of Ernest Zacharevic can also be spotted at the wall of the house on the right of the street.
A view of Cannon Street decorated with red lanterns during Chinese New Year, with the minaret of Acheen Street Mosque standing at the background in George Town.
The Acheen Street (Lebuh Acheh), is a street in George Town within the heritage zone itself. The street was named in recognition of the old Acehnese community who used to live there.
The street is also home to the famous Acheen Street Mosque, an unique and historical mosque. The mosque with its recognizable minaret is located right at the junction formed by Acheen Street and Cannon Street.
The Acheen Street Mosque located in Acheen Street, George Town (Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh) was founded by Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid in 1808. The mosque is surrounded by rows of heritage shophouses, as well as a a cemetery including the mausoleum of Syed Hussain and his family, mid-19th Century town houses and an octagonal minaret. Veing one of the oldest in Penang, the mosque complex depicts an early Muslim urban community in Penang comprising of the Malays, Indian Muslims, Arabs and the Achehnese.
