Light Street, George Town

5°25′13.45″N 100°20′28.37″E / 5.4204028°N 100.3412139°E / 5.4204028; 100.3412139

Light Street
Malay: Lebuh Light
Chinese: 莱特街 / 玻璃口
Po-lê-kháu (Hokkien POJ)
Tamil: லைட் வீதி
Maintained byPenang Island City Council
LocationGeorge Town
West endFarquhar Street
East endBeach Street
Construction
Inauguration1786
LEBUH LIGHT
Light St10200 P. PINANG

TypeCultural
Criteriaii, iii, iv
Designated2008 (32nd session)
Part ofGeorge Town UNESCO Core Zone
Reference no.1223
RegionAsia-Pacific

Light Street is the oldest road in the city of George Town within the Malaysian state of Penang. It was named after the founder of Penang, Captain Francis Light.[1] As the epicentre of George Town, the street was created soon after Light established the settlement in 1786 and has been serving as a major thoroughfare within the city centre ever since.

Located within the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site, Light Street has also been part of the city's civic core, as the main administrative and judicial buildings of Penang were built within the vicinity of the road, including Fort Cornwallis, the City Hall, the State Assembly Building and the Supreme Court.[2]

A bronze statue of Captain Francis Light now stands within Fort Cornwallis, which is located within the vicinity of Light Street.
  1. ^ Khoo, Salma Nasution (2007). Streets of George Town, Penang. Penang, Malaysia: Areca Books. ISBN 9789839886009.
  2. ^ Langdon, Marcus (2014). A Guide to George Town's Historic Commercial and Civic Precincts. Penang, Malaysia: George Town World Heritage Incorporated.