Fort Cornwallis (George Town)

Fort Cornwallis - named after the Governor-General in Bengal, Charles Cornwallis – is one of the most interesting historical landmarks in George Town.

Originally a wooden structure, it was rebuilt between 1808 and 1810 by convict labour. Protruding from the fort's rampart are cannons retrieved by the British from pirates who had captured them from the Johore Sultanate. The fort's walls, roughly 10 feet high, are laid out in star-like formation. A stroll along the perimeters takes roughly 10 minutes. Inside the fort, one can still see some of the original structures built over a century ago, including a chapel, prison cells, which were once used as barracks, a munitions storage area, a harbour light once used to signal incoming ships, the original flagstaff and several old bronze canons, one of which is a Dutch canon called the Seri Rambai, dated 1603. An interesting note about the Seri Rambai - some locals believe that this particular canon can have a positive effect on a woman's fertility, according to local belief, childless women can conceive by placing flowers in its barrel and offering special prayers. The fort is also used as an amphitheatre.

The 60-foot King Edward Circus Clock Tower built at the entrance to the the fort was presented to the town by a local millionaire in 1897 in conjunction with Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, each foot signifying one year of her reign. Both structures above are at the Esplanade.
 fortificationlisted building / architectural heritage1800s constructionstar fort
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Cornwallis
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Coordinates:  5°25'13"N 100°20'37"E
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Comments

  • Fort Cornwallis in Penang is the largest intact fortress in Malaysia. When Captain Francis Light landed in Penang in 1786, on the cape which today becomes George Town, he built a simple stockade out of nibong palms. The tip of Penang Island where Fort Cornwallis was located was called Fort Point. Fort Cornwallis was named after the Governor-General of Bengal, Charles Marquis Cornwallis. To view the photos and more details of Fort Cornwallis, go to: http://www.asiaexplorers.com/malaysia/fortcornwallis.htm
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