Fort Cornwallis

Fort Cornwallis is the largest and most intact fort in Malaysia and one of Penang's most important historical landmarks. Located on the northeastern coast of George Town, at the spot where Captain Francis Light is said to have first landed in 1786, the fort is a star-shaped bastion that was originally built for the British East India Company. Although it was built for defense, the fort never actually engaged in any combat.

Today, visitors can walk along the fort's massive outer walls and explore the historical structures within, including an old chapel, a gunpowder magazine, and several colonial-era cannons. The most famous of these is the "Seri Rambai," a large Dutch cannon that is believed by some locals to possess fertility-enhancing powers. A visit to Fort Cornwallis is a journey back to the very beginning of the British colonial era in Penang.