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Fort Cornwallis

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.

Address: Light Street
Getting there: Next to the Esplanade
Hours: Daily 9AM-8PM
Price: RM20 for adults (RM10 for Malaysian citizens) and RM10 for children (RM5 for Malaysian citizens)
Website: penang.ws (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: George Town (Malaysia), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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