Fort Cornwallis In Penang – A Multipurpose Architecture Marvel

Penang is one of the beautiful island in Malaysia with plenty of man-made as well as natural wonders. Penang is split into two regions – Penang mainland and Penang island. The capital state of Penang Island, George town is widely popular for its unique landmarks. Few prominent landmarks include Kapitan Keling Mosque, the famous Chinese clan house – Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi and also the colonial Fort Cornwallis. All these landmarks have a rich history and historical significance. In this article, we focus on Fort Cornwallis in an attempt to understand the history, architecture and other significance of this fort.

Location:

The Larget standing fort of Malaysia is close to Penang Clock Tower in the north-eastern coast of Penang island. 10 feet high walls surround the majestic fort. The fort and ambience of George town gives us a glimpse of colonial Malaysia. Fort Cornwallis is 25 Kilometers from Penang International Airport and you need to take a taxi/private car to reach the fort. People staying in Penang mainland can make it fort via 12 kilometre stretch of marvellous Penang bridge. However, if prefer travelling on water, ferries are available frequently as well.

History of Fort Cornwallis

Fort Cornwallis is one of the oldest European structures in Penang. The fort gets its name from the British army general Marquis Charles Cornwallis. The location of the fort has historic significance as well. This is a site where Britishers set their first foot on the island and marked the beginning of British colony after taking over island control from Sultan of Kedah. People have always seen fort as an administrative structure while the reason behind the establishment of the fort was to guard Penang island against pirates, Kedahs and french army. The initial structure of the fort was built using nibong palms and later during the realm of R.T. Farquhar was revamped into a stone structure.

Also Read: The 5 Best Malls in Penang, Malaysia

The architecture of the Fort

The bastion fort designed to seem like a star-shaped structure from the outset. The star structure was a strategic decision as it would protect Penang from fires of enemies at different angles. Fort spanning over an area of 4490 sq. km has different sections ranging from prisons to storage areas. Fort houses a harbour light as well used to navigate the ships to the port. Bronze canons are displayed to the public since people have their beliefs and offer prayers and flowers to this canons.

As the fort comes with a rich history, there are galleries that display portrays and also tells a story behind heroics of the warriors and fort itself.

Penang is definitely different from other tourists destinations in Malaysia. If you consider yourself a history buff, do pay visit to this mesmerising island. Well, planning is surely a key element to make the itinerary and vacation memorable. So, do reach out to travel consultants from Pickyourtrail for hassle-free planning of the itinerary and the vacation. Check out their Malaysia tour packages for best deals in the market. You can drop a Whatsapp enquiry for immediate reverts.