Padang Kota Lama

The headquarters of the Penang Island City Council, the local government of George Town. A well-preserved colonial building constructed in 1903 when Penang was a British crown colony. External viewing.

The fort, named for Charles Cornwallis, is built on the site where Francis Light, founder of Penang, landed on 11 August 1786. It was first built in 1793. But this site was an unlikely spot to defend the city from invasion. In 1810 it was rebuilt in an attempt to make up for initial strategic planning errors. In the shape of a star, the only actual buildings still standing are the outer walls, a gunpowder magazine, and a small Christian chapel. Several old cannons (including one that is believed by some locals to have magical 'fertility' powers) can still be found at the fort. There are also small displays of artefacts recovered from archaeological digs inside the fort. The magazine houses an exhibit of old photos and historical accounts of the old fort.

Built in the mid-19th century as part of the Central Police Station, this Anglo-Indian Classical building became the State Assembly building in 1963. The building is closed to the public; tourists can only view it from the outside.

Inaugurated in 1903, this Palladian-style building now houses the High Court of Penang, which had been established in 1809 as the first judiciary in modern Malaysia. The building is closed to the public; tourists can only view it from the outside.

The 60 ft high clock tower was presented by local millionaire Cheah Chen Eok in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

As the main Central Business District (CBD) of George Town, Beach Street is lined with mercantile buildings constructed between the 1880s and the 1950s. Among the landmarks along the street are the Standard Chartered Building, HSBC Building, the Penang Islamic Council Building, OCBC Building, Bank of China Building, Whiteways Arcade, India House and the Logan Heritage Building.