Fort Cornwallis

In 1786 the British East Empire Company "acquired" the island of Penang from the Sultanate of Kedah. The island's biggest city, Georgetown, became the capital of the Straits Settlements (along with Singapore and Malacca) and the area's colonial past has greatly shaped its development.

the Penang Cenotaph

One of the most notable remnants of British rule of Penang is Fort Cornwallis, which sits on the eastern coast looking out towards the sea.

the outer gates of Fort Cornwallis

I purchased a ticket for 20 ringgit and stepped inside the old gates. Besides the walls, there's a small lighthouse, an amphitheater with live music from time to time, and some food trucks which host a beer garden in the evenings.

It was quiet when I visited, though, and I was almost the only visitor.

Captain Francis Light, the Royal Navy captain who took Penang

Though the fort was built for defense - mainly against pirate attacks on the island - it never actually saw combat and ended up serving more of an administrative purpose than a military one. The fort was in use for nearly a century before being decommissioned in 1881. It later became housing for colonial officials, a police headquarters, and finally a public park and monument.

a view of the fort from atop the wall

I enjoyed visiting the fort for historical purposes, but I wish that there had been more to see. It was a little underwhelming compared to the role that it had played in the island's history. Not much remains of the fort nowadays, although I understand that some historical restorations are in the works. Still, it was interesting to see and I'm glad that I did. It was one of the things that I missed a few years back last time I visited Georgetown.

the gunpowder armory