Heritage Buildings of Penang (Part II)

Continued from my previous blog entry on heritage buildings of Penang.

Windows of a double-storey shophouse

The elegant facade and windows belonging to a classic double-storey shophouse in Penang bathed in the warm low-angled late evening light.

Another beautiful windows belonging to a shophouse in Penang

Whitewashed window and shadows

This whitewashed unique window and its shade produce elongated shadows caused by the low-angled light of the late evening sun.

Brownish orange building against deep blue sky

I stumbled on this building with orangey coat of paint on King Street and found it interesting against deep blue sky background.

Historic houses built in 1920's located on Bangkok lane

Windows of one of the classic houses on Bangkok Lane

Unnamed building

I forgot to take down the name of this building located on Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling but I love the cartoonish colours of its coat of paint

The 1886 Building on Beach Street

The 1886 building – named after the year of its construction – is probably the oldest commercial building on Beach Street that has retained its original appearance. It used to house Goon Yen & Friends, an upmarket emporium – one of the first in George Town to be owned by non-whites. Upmarket shops and offices, including Howarth Erskine Engineers occupied the rest of the building.

On the upper floors are lovely French windows that open out to cast iron balconies – they were fortunate to have survived till this day, as metal were taken away by the occupying Japanese forces during the war. Topping the building is a dentilated cornice and a parapet wall.

The Whiteaways Arcade

The Whiteaways Arcade

Formerly Whiteways & Laidlaw Building is an elegant colonial-era building along Beach Street, George Town. The block got its name from its original occupant, the Whiteways & Laidlaw General Store at the Bishop Street end of the building, while the Netherlands-Indian Bank occupied the Church Street end of the building. During the British administration, Whiteways Building housed upmarket shops and offices.

The Whiteways building was constructed in the early 1900′s. On the upper floor are beautiful windows in the eclectic style. These are accentuated by moulded plaster. The facade is decorated with plasterwork of flowers and garlands. The building has undergone major restoration work without compromising its original elegance.

Now known as The Whiteaways Arcade, it has become an iconic commercial restoration within a highly significant core street of World Heritage Site in Georgetown. Cleverly restored and adapted for modern use (art gallery, fashion boutique, cafe, pharmacy, etc) yet retain its heritage old charms.

Wisma Kastam

Located at the corner of China Street Ghaut (facing Weld Quay), the Malayan Railway Building (or Wisma Kastam as it is known today) is a “colonial giant” in every sense of the word.

The classic buildings boasts of uniquely distinct arcades (a structure composed of a series of arches supported by columns). Before Komtar (the state’s administrative and shopping tower) Wisma Kastam’s clock tower (which by the way is still ticking with precision) was the tallest building on the island.

Wisma Kastam which currently houses the state Customs Department was formerly the Malayan Railway Building that sat alongside trading offices and warehouses built in the 20th century.

Back when it was called the Malayan Railway Building, the station is believed to be the only one in the world without a rail. Instead of platforms or trains, it had administrative offices, a ticketing booth and a first-class Railways Restaurant with Bar and Grill.

Passengers bought their tickets at the Penang Railway Station, walked to the Railway Jetty at the end of the China Street Ghaut and boarded the Railway Ferry Streamers to Butterworth to catch the train. Fares to and from Penang were inclusive of the ferry ride.

Built a century ago, the Malayan Railway Building marked the completion of the Federated Malay States (FMS) Railway which was mainly used to transport tin and crops.

It was the railway’s northern region headquarters. In the late 60s, the state Customs Office occupied the building.

Heritage Buildings of Penang

Besides the majestic Kapitan Keling Mosque that I posted in the previous blog entry, Penang has numerous other heritage buildings which are equally awesome. Penang is a mecca for photographers especially for a heritage building buff like me. There are just too many things to shoot within too little time.

As a result I just shot what I could get around to shooting with the resulting pictures that I deem appropriate to share here:

The Acheen Street Mosque, Penang

The Acheen Street Mosque

The Acheen Street Mosque or Masjid Lebuh Acheh is an old mosque located at the heritage enclave of George Town. It was also called the Mesjid Jamek as well as Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh. The mosque was founded in 1801, making it one of the oldest mosques in Penang. The founder was Tengku Sheriff Syed Hussain Al-Aidid, an Acehnese clan leader who moved to Penang at the invitation of Captain Francis Light, and settled at what became Acheen Street.

The Acheen Street Mosque has an Arab-style minaret with an Achehnese roof. The difference between this mosque and the other one, the Kapitan Kling Mosque nearby, is that the Acheen Street Mosque was built by an Achehnese, hence a Malay, whereas the Kapitan Kling Mosque was built by the Indian Muslims.

The City Hall, Penang

The City Hall, Penang

The City Hall, Penang

The City Hall of Penang is a fine example of admirable British Colonial architecture that still exists in Malaysia. A typical British Palladian architectural style building built in 1903 is still standing strong until today after undergoing a comprehensive restoration and conservation work. It is now occupied by part of Pulau Pinang Municipal Council office.  The whitewashed building forms an elegant backdrop to the Esplanade.

The Town Hall

Next to The Ol City Hall is its older counterpart The Town Hall.  This building – known among locals as the European Club, was primarily used as a venue for the town’s European community where social events, balls, public speeches, drama performances, art exhibitions and concerts were held. Built in Western architectural style with classical arches, columns, pilasters, quoins, ornamental elements on roof parapet and balustrades, the sunshine yellow double-storey is the oldest municipal building in Penang.

Lt-Governor Sir Archibald Edward Harbord Anson first laid its foundation on Jan 1, 1879. Occupying a land area of 70,711 sq feet, the building was completed in 1880 and officiated by the then Governor of Straits Settlements Frederick Weld. Through the years, the Town Hall has undergone five extensive expansions and now comprises a front portico, an assembly hall, a ballroom with adjoining supper rooms, a stage, office rooms and a library.

In 1999, the building’s ballroom on the first floor was “transformed” into a “Royal Hall of Justice” for the filming of 20th Century Fox’s blockbuster, Anna and the King.

Campbell Street Market

The Campbell Street Market’s architecture was inspired by Victorian architecture since it was built around 1900 and Victorian architecture was the in thing at that time. This market building is perhaps the oldest in George Town.

Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower

The Queen Victoria Memorial Clocktower at King Edward’s Place is one of the most recognizable icons of Penang Island. This Clocktower was built to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria by one of the distinguished Chinese millionaires eager to flaunt their wealth in the eyes of their British administrators.

The Queen Victoria Memorial Clocktower was built by local Penang millionaire Cheah Chen Eok in 1897 to commemorate the sixtieth year of the Queen’s reign. The tower was sixty feet tall, with each foot for each year of the Queen’s reign. Unfortunately, she never visited Penang, nor did she ever live long enough to see her clocktower completed. By the time it was completed in 1902, the Queen had died.

Logan Heritage

Part of Beach Street - What is visible is Logan Heritage, StanChart Builing and Queen Memorial Clock Tower

Logan Building, which is now owned by OCBC Bank, is now known as the Logan Heritage following a RM6.8 million restoration project that brought it to look as good as new. The funding of the restoration includes RM5 million from OCBC Bank and RM1.8 million from TecCentury, a property management company. The building will become an arcade housing food & beverage outlets, a money changer and other retail outlets.

To be continued….

The Kapitan Keling Mosque

The Kapitan Keling Mosque boasts its long history spanning more than 200 years. Located at the intersection between Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (formerly known as Pitt Street) and Lebuh Buckingham, it sits strategically at the heart of the heritage enclave of George Town and has been the spiritual and community congregational point for the city’s Muslim community for two centuries. The mosque has been recognised by UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site as one of the heritage buildings that needs to be preserved.

I am pleased to share with you this mosque’s history in brief.

The majestic mosque was first erected by the troops of the British East India Company who were of Muslim religion when they arrived on the island near the end of the 18th century. That was soon after Francis Light took formal possession of the island from the Sultan of Kedah in 1786.  The troops of Indian Muslims were said to be led by an East India Company major named Nador Khan who cleared a piece of land to erect a small Chulier mosque besides setting up their burial ground.

The predecessor of the present Kapitan Keling Mosque was merely an attap-roofed structure. By 1798, the Chulier mosque had already appeared on the local map. Its first Imam or religious teacher was one Ustaz Mohamed Haniffa who died in 1213 Hijrah (around 1798 or 1799).

In 1801 Sir George Leith, who was then Lieutenant Governor of Penang, appointed a prominent Indian Muslim leader, Cauder Mohudeen, as Captain of the South Indian “Keling” community.  He granted a piece of land to build a mosque on the south side of Malabar Street (Chulia Street). Cauder Mohudeen (born c. 1759) was a ship mandoor or foreman from Porto Novo, which the Tamils called Paringgipettai and the Muslims Mahmudbandar, about 50 kilometres south of Pondicherry in India.

As the trade and population of the Settlement increased, attracting many Mohammedan traders and mariners it became necessary to erect a more permanent building and to provide a larger burial ground. Cauder Mohuddeen, a wealthy Mohammedan Keling, took the initiative by collecting subscriptions to build the present mosque. With the authorization from the government and the Indian Muslim community, Cauder Mohudeen brought builders and stones (or bricks) from India to erect the brick mosque.

What the mosque looked like in the olden days - undated picture. Photo credit: kapitankelingmosque.com

Thanks to his great contribution and selfless effort Cauder Mohuddeen as The Kapitan (Captain in English) Keling was thus regarded as the founder of the mosque. He died in 1834 leaving behind an invaluable legacy that stands strong until today and has been serving countless fellow muslims.

The Kapitan Keling Mosque went through several stages of development. From 1803 the year a brick mosque was completed the Kapitan Keling Mosque was skillfully extended in 1910 with some parts of the original mosque walls were retained within the larger building; the original minarets can still be identified. The spectacular new look of the mosque could be described as Moghul or ‘Indo-Saracenic’, with a fancy roof of domes and turrets, and the walls elaborately stuccoed and coloured to simulate the Moghul monuments of India, which employed different coloured stone and marble. The architect for this project then was a Malacca-born Eurasian of German descent, Henry Alfred Neubronner.  The building of the minaret in 1916 marked the completion of this phase of expansion.

The shophouses immediately to the south of the minaret were cleared soon afterwards so that the mosque could be fully viewed from Pitt Street (now Jalan Kapitan Keling). Its minaret became the most prominent landmark in the neighbourhood. In the 1920s, improvements were made to the ablution areas with modern plumbing and reinforced concrete coverings. In the 1930s the Kapitan Keling Mosque was again expanded and assumed its present form. A somewhat simpler and more weatherproof hip roof was added and a perimeter wall was built.

Below are the photos of the mosque in its present form taken during the last Chinese New Year holiday.

I welcome any comment and criticism with open arms either about the pictures or the history on the Kapitan Keling Mosque.

You can also view the slideshow of the Kapitan Keling Mosque pictures here.

The Kapitan Keling Mosque, Penang

The Kapitan Keling Mosque, Penang

The Kapitan Keling Mosque, Penang

The Kapitan Keling Mosque, Penang

The Kapitan Keling Mosque, Penang

The Kapitan Keling Mosque, Penang

The Kapitan Keling Mosque, Penang

Penang – Pearl of the Orient

Penang still maintains it charm and uniqueness when I paid her a brief visit recently. I also found the people there very friendly and helpful.  Hope the new state government will spare no effort in improving its cleanliness and preserve its title as Pearl of the Orient.  I am pleased to share some snapshots of Penang here for your viewing pleasure.

Smoky KOMTAR?
KOMTAR used to enjoy the status of The Tallest Building in Malaysia before The Petronas Twin Towers came along.

Rows of pre-war shophouses with KOMTAR as the brackground.

A lady cook at work.

Door with abundant Peranakan decoration.

Ubiquitous pre-war shophouses that have become one of prominent identities of Penang.

A street performer at Gurney Drive.