Penang City Hall

It would be hard not to notice the elegant City Hall with its magnificent Corinthian columns and grand windows, reminiscent of British colonial times, as you are walking along Georgetown's expansive Esplanade.

Known in the Malay language as Dewan Bandaraya, the ivory mansion was constructed in 1903 and opened in 1906 as the seat of the Penang Government. Today, it houses the municipal council of the island. It holds the record for being the first building in Penang to be fitted with electric lighting by the Huttenbach Brothers, a German firm which also lit up many of the island's other buildings.

As you walk around the vicinity, look out for the large cenotaph located on the Esplanade seafront nearby, erected in 1922 by the British to commemorate their soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. Palm-fringed with a backdrop of the ocean, it provides another focal point on the Esplanade, though there is very little story behind it, as Penang was not a hot bed of action during World War I.

A large carpet of grass known as Kota Lama stretches out in front of the City Hall, cleared by the British back in the day for the purpose of playing cricket and other field games, as well as military parades. Today, Kota Lama is a popular venue for concerts and ceremonies throughout the year. Soak up the history with a front row seat on the grass, while listening to the waves beating against the seawall behind you.

Located on the Esplanade, the Georgetown City Hall makes a great photo memory of Penang's colonial past.