City Hall, Penang

Frontal view of the City Hall, Penang

City Hall is a municipal building in George Town, Penang, which was formerly the seat of the City Council of George Town.

Originally built in 1903 as the Municipal Office, Penang, the building was erected at a cost of $100,000 to relieve demand for office space at the adjacent Town Hall, which then took on a more social function. Both buildings stand in front of the Padang on Esplanade Road.

The name "City Hall" dates from the grant of city status to George Town in 1957. Since local government reorganisation in 1976, the building has housed the Municipal Council of Penang Island.

Architecture

Built in 1903 in the Edwardian Baroque style, the two-storey building has been listed as a national monument since 1982 under the Antiquities Act 1976. The building was renovated in 2004-5. Although City Hall retains much of its original form, by comparison with old photographs it can be seen that the original arcades or loggias on the ground and first floors have been enclosed with windows.

References

• Preserving City Hall’s colonial charm, The Star, November 22, 2006
• Old photograph of City Hall, with open loggias
• [1]

See also

Media related to Penang City Hall at Wikimedia Commons

• Architecture of Penang

Coordinates: 5°25′16″N 100°20′28″E / 5.421060°N 100.341058°E / 5.421060; 100.341058