The Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower in George Town, Penang is a Moorish-style clocktower at the junction of Light Street and Beach Street. This is a testament to Penang’s royal connections. It is commissioned in 1897 by a local millionaire, Mr Cheah Chen Eok to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
The Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower was built at a cost of 35,000 Straits dollars and the gleaming whitewashed tower is topped by a Moorish dome. It has four tiers: the base is octagon-shaped and the following two tiers comprise four distinct sections with elaborate windows, balconies and a working clock on each side. The top most tier is rounded off with Roman pillars and topped with a golden dome cupola. The six steps leading up to the main entrance denote the number of decades of Queen Victoria's reign.
The clock tower was designed by a Mr. Pierce, an engineer working for the George Town Municipal Council. The height from the base of the tower to the centre of the clock is 60 feet, with each foot representing every year of Queen Victoria's reign. If the cupola at the top is included, the tower is actually 97 feet tall. The clock was imported from Europe and has windows made of opal glass, while the belfry above the clock contained five bells which chimed following the Westminster quarters melody.
However, Queen Victoria would never get to see the clock tower built in her honour. She had never set foot on Penang Island. By the time it was completed in 1902, Queen Victoria had passed away.
During World War 2, Japanese and Allied aerial bombardments of George Town slightly damaged the clock tower, causing it to tilt to one side. The clock and chimes were repaired after the war.
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Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
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