The Acheen Street Mosque is one of the most prominent structures in the old section of George Town. I photograph it for as part of the route of a walking tour I am establishing for AsiaExplorers and Penang Travel Tips. In the 18th century, with Malacca in decline, the trades along the Straits of Malacca has moved northwards to Acheh. When Francis Light established the trading post in Penang, he wanted to create a Britsh trading post that rivals Acheh. To do this, he attracted merchants and traders from all over to settle there. As a result, Penang had substantial communities of immigrants from Phuket, China, South India, Acheh, Arabia, and Jews from as far away as Armenia. One of these who settled here was the wealthy Achehnese merchant of Arab descent, Syed Sheriff Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid.
Acheen Street Mosque in Penang.
Tengku Syed founded the Acheen Street Mosque in 1808. It has a Arab-style minaret with a Achehnese roof. The difference between this mosque and the other one, the Kapitan Kling nearby, is that the Acheen Street Mosque was built by a Achehnese, hence a Malay, whereas the Kapitan Kling Mosque was built by the Indian Muslims.
Acheen Street Mosque Photo Gallery
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Exploring the Mosques in Penang
There are several mosques and Muslim heritage structures in Penang worth exploring. Click to view a list of some that have been documented in AsiaExplorers.
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