Tag: moat

Penang Isle : Fort Cornwallis Moat at Night

The newly restored western and southern moat at Fort Cornwallis at night. Together, both moats will form a water basin covering about 4,000 m², about 0.9 m deep, and holding roughly 3,600 cubic metres of water.  The restoration uses traditional construction methods, with features like mechanical sand filters and bio-retention swales built into the design for ecological health and long-term stability.  The project is part of Penang’s North Seafront Improvement Programme, with funding from the state government and partners like Think City and Yayasan Hasanah.

Penang Isle : Fort Cornwallis Moat

The Fort Cornwallis moat in Penang has undergone a major restoration set to be fully completed and opened to the public by July 2025, featuring the reinstatement of its southern and western sections to form a 4,000 square meter water basin about 0.9 meters deep, holding approximately 3,600 cubic meters of water. Using traditional building methods for long-term stability, the restoration includes ecological enhancements like a mechanical sand filter and a vegetated bio-retention swale, aligning with sustainable development goals. The project, costing around RM23.4 million and supported by the Penang state government, Think City, and Hasanah Foundation, also includes landscaping improvements, new visitor amenities, and a rebuilt food court adjacent to the moat, designed to complement the historic site.

This restoration revives the fort’s original defensive features from its 1804 construction, enhancing heritage conservation and turning the moat area into an attractive green public space and educational site for both locals and tourists, particularly timed to coincide with the George Town UNESCO World Heritage celebrations.

Originally constructed by the British East India Company in 1804 as a defensive measure during the Napoleonic Wars, the moat was filled in 1921 due to public health concerns (malaria) and construction developments.