Description of the attraction
Mount Penang is located in the center of the island and six kilometers from Georgetown. This is a whole granite massif, the highest peak of which rises above sea level by almost 830 meters, others do not reach 700 meters. This mountain range is cut by streams and rivers, the largest of which is named after the mountain and the island. Small waterfalls, scenic spots and relative coolness have made the mountain range a favorite vacation spot since British colonization. In the 18th century, they began to build bungalows on the mountain for Europeans fleeing at heights from the Asian sweltering heat and malaria mosquitoes. Later, a hotel, post office and even a police station were opened. Currently, the oldest surviving structure on Mount Penang dates back to 1789.
At first, the top of the mountain range could only be reached on horseback or on foot. The British actively used palanquins. Already at the end of the 19th century, the question of the railway arose. After several unsuccessful attempts, the funicular was built at the end of 1923. Now this mountain railway is the landmark of Mount Penang. It works regularly to this day. All the reconstruction of the railway was of a purely technical nature, keeping the original appearance. One of the old trailers has now been erected as a monument, and new expressways take visitors upstairs in 12 minutes.
The advent of the funicular caused an increase in housing development. The mountain range has become a prestigious residential area for the British and local wealthy. And today out of fifty buildings, forty are private property. In addition to them, on the top of the mountain there is a small botanical garden, a mosque, a Hindu temple, a very interesting owl museum, and a restaurant with a beautiful terrace overlooking Georgetown.
This is also the most tourist place of the city is famous as a habitat for over a hundred species of birds - from common to the rarest tropical.
People come here for walks, picnics, to the observation deck, from where a panorama of the city, the entire island opens, and a beautiful view of both bridges to the mainland.
