Rope Walk is a narrow one-way street within George Town's UNESCO World Heritage Site. It stretches from northeast to southwest, between Chulia Street to the north and Prangin Road to the south.
In the 19th. century, rope-making businesses were set up along the street, hence its name. At the time, ropes were widely used by bullock carts and shipping companies.
There used to be a street flea market along Rope Walk, but it has since been moved west to Lorong Kulit off Dato' Keramat Road.
Rope Walk was so named due to the rope-making activities along the street in the 19th. century. At the time, ropes were made of coconut husk fibres that were spun across many girders along the street.
The Hokkiens also called the street Phah Soa Hung, meaning 'rope-weaving alley'.
As 19th. century George Town was also rife with hostilities between Chinese secret societies, Rope Walk was known as Gi Hok Kay in Hokkien and Yi Fuk Kai in Cantonese, both meaning 'the street of Teochew Ghee Hok Secret Society'.
Rope-making businesses were set up along Rope Walk in the 19th. century, hence its name. At the time, ropes were in great demand by bullock cart owners and shipyards. Ropes made of coconut husks were spun and woven using the many girders along the street, and were then delivered to the port by handcarts and bullock carts.
Towards the late 19th. century, as rivalries between secret societies intensified, most of these rope-spinners and cart-drivers joined the White Flag (Bendera Putih in Malay) Secret Society. The White Flag, which consisted of Malay, Indian and Javanese members, was based within the Rope Walk Mosque (Masjid Pintal Tali in Malay).
For most of the 20th. century, Rope Walk was a working-class neighbourhood. A daily flea market also used to operate along the street; it has since been relocated to Lorong Kulit off Dato' Keramat Road.
Today, most of the businesses along Rope Walk specialise in hardware. The inclusion of Rope Walk as a George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008 has also led to increased heritage conservation efforts, while a few shophouses along the street have been refurbished and converted into opulent boutique hotels.