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Jul

3rd

Being tourists at Fort Cornwallis, Penang

Files under Travel, within Malaysia | Posted by KY

Last weekend I played tour guide to Mellissa on her first tour of Penang in over 10 years, one of the first tourist friendly spots we went was the good old Fort Cornwallis, a place I haven’t been since high school and had virtually no recollection.

Fort Cornwallis, Penang
there are more cannons in Fort Cornwallis than A Farmosa!

So we parked the car by esplanade, had a plate of mee goreng by the food court (which was not the famous mee sotong I was expecting, but oh well there’s always next time) and then took a leisure walk to the fort built by the founder of Penang, Captain Sir Francis Light. That was way back in 1786, but the fort wasn’t completed until 1810 with a total cost of $80,000. Nowadays you can’t even get a decent linked house with that kind of money.

Mell and KY at Ford Cornwallis
cowboy hat and rifle the “Sepoy Hut”

So we paid RM 3 per person to get into the fort, which was pretty well maintained for a state run facility. There is a little “Sepoy Hut” right after the entrance that just begs for photo opportunity (by the way you can rent a captain’s outfit too). Oh yes, the rifle was heavy, and it’s barrel sealed.

the cannon and jail at Fort Cornwallis, Penang
ohs no, prison girl!

Did you know that the biggest cannon in the fort was cast in 1603, more than 400 years ago. Incidentally it was also the same year Queen Elizabeth I of England dies, and yey to you cos you just acquired another piece of useless trivia.

There are 5 little air conditioned galleries within the fort exhibiting the history and archeological findings in the fort which I didn’t really read. I find wikipedia a little easier and more accessible.

gun powder magazine and chapel at Ford Cornwallis
gunpowder bunker and the chapel

Other buildings within the fort includes a gunpowder bunker complete with a lot of fake cannon balls and a few barrels of gunpowder magazines. Oh, by the way the cannons were said to have never been fired, apparently nobody really wanted to attack Penang.

There is also a little chapel that is seemingly designed for Audrey, very small and very cute, check Mell’s penang part 2 post and you will know what I mean.

Mellissa at Fort Cornwallis, Penang
Mell by the wall

I wished I’d remember to bring my big camera with for the trip, but oh well, at least you get this very cutesy photo of Mell to end this post. kthxbai!

Tags: fort cornwallis, mellissa, Penang

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21 Responses to “Being tourists at Fort Cornwallis, Penang”

By annant on Jul 3, 2009 | Reply

my last visit to penang was like…5 years ago =.=
i remember visiting kek lok si…and shopped at gurney drive…and ate lotsa yummy food! and that’s all…
wish to go penang again..

By Mellissa on Jul 3, 2009 | Reply

OMG YOU SAID CUTESY!