Fort Cornwallis

Fort Cornwallis is a star-shaped coastal fort on the northeastern tip of George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Built in 1786 by Captain Francis Light for the British East India Company and rebuilt in brick between 1804 and 1810, it is the largest standing fort in Malaysia. Named after Charles Cornwallis, it never saw combat and today operates as a restored heritage attraction with bastions, cannons, chapel, cells and exhibition galleries.

Visitors can explore the restored star-shaped fort walls, dry moat and bastions overlooking the sea and the Esplanade. Inside are historic bronze cannons including the Seri Rambai cannon, a former chapel, prison cells, barracks, lighthouse, and modern exhibition galleries detailing Penang's colonial history. The site has paved walkways, open lawns, interpretive displays and shaded seating, with guided tours available.

Built in 1786 by Captain Francis Light after he claimed Penang for the British East India Company, Fort Cornwallis was originally a wooden stockade and rebuilt in brick from 1804 to 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars. Named after Charles Cornwallis, Governor-General of Bengal, it served as a defensive and administrative centre but never engaged in combat. It is the largest standing fort in Malaysia and a key site of British colonial history in Penang.

Fort Cornwallis is a prominent colonial heritage landmark in George Town, part of the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site buffer zone. It symbolizes the founding of modern Penang and serves as an educational and cultural venue with exhibitions, reenactments and heritage interpretation reflecting the island's multicultural colonial past.