Your Penang Richness World Heritage Site

George Town World Heritage Site : Whereabout  ?

The Historic City of George Town, as nominated by the Malaysian Government for World Heritage Listing, covers a 109.38 hectare site on the north-east of Penang Island. This is what is regarded as the core zone. Surrounding the core zone is a 150.04-hectare band called the buffer zone. This area is land accountable not included the sea.

Now, the important question: where is the core zone of the Historic City of George Town? Refer to the expandable Google Map shown below. The orange line shows the boundary of the core zone while the green line shows the buffer zone. In most places, the boundary follows existing roads. One side of the road will be within the zone while the other without. 

                                                       Logan Memorial, core zone, George Town World Heritage Site (8 January 2008)

THE CORE ZONE

The core zone boundary line starts from North Beach. It follows the wall of the Convent Light Street, separating it from the St Xavier’s Field. The Convent Light Street is in the core zone. The St Xavier’s Field is in the buffer zone. It crosses Farquhar Street into Love Lane. The Church Of Assumption  is in the core zone. Argus Lane  (Lorong Argus) and Stewart Lane (Lorong Stewart) are in the core zone while Muntri Street (Lebuh Muntri) and the Carpenter’s Guild are in the buffer zone.

The core zone boundary line bisects Chulia Street (Lebuh Chulia) into two halves, one part in the core zone, another in the buffer zone. It enters Carnavon Street (Lebuh Carnavon). The Campbell Street Market is in the buffer zone. At the junction of Carnavon Street with Kampung Kaka, the boundary makes a left turn into Kampung Kaka. Then it turns right into Kampung Kolam. The Penang Tourism Centre is in the Core Zone.

Now the boundary line runs along Carnavon Street. It turn in at Carnavon Lane (Lorong Carnavon). It goes to about 30 feet from the end of Carnavon Lane, then crosses over to Malay Street (Lebuh Melayu). It follows Malay Street in a southeast direction. Toh Aka Lane (Lorong Toh Aka) is in the core zone. Fish Lane (Lorong Ikan) is in the buffer zone. The boundary line goes all the way and out into the sea, bisecting Beach Street (Lebuh Pantai) and Victoria Street (Lebuh Victoria) into core and buffer zones. The Clan jetties north of Malay Street Ghaut (Gat Lebuh Melayu) is in the core zone, south of it, in the buffer zone.

THE BUFFER ZONE

The buffer zone boundary line roughly follows the historic waterway that marked the limits of 19th century George Town, namely the Transfer Road Ditch  and the Prangin Canal. I say "roughly", because the Transfer Road Ditch no longer exists, while the Prangin Canal is all but covered. Anyway, this is how it goes.

From North Beach, draw a line to join with Transfer Road (Jalan Transfer). Sri Bahari Road (Jalan Sri Bahari) is in the buffer zone. Argyll Road (Jalan Argyll) is bisected into two halves Keramat Dato Koyah is within the buffer zone. 

At the junction of Transfer Road and Burmah Road (Jalan Burma), the boundary line turns southeast. It follows Burmah Road to Penang Road (Jalan Penang), then cross into Prangin Road (Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong). Masjid titi Papan  and Loke Thye Kee  are in the buffer zone. Komtar  and Prangin Mall are outside the buffer zone. The boundary line continues along Prangin Road, separating Beach Street from Bridget Street (Jalan CY Choy), down Prangin Road Ghaut (Gat Jalan Prangin) and straight out into the sea.
So that's the area that constitute the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site.

Feel free to watch the video of Penang Heritage Wonders below. 

Enjoy every bit of it !.. Penang is awaiting you...