Islamic Heritage Walk
4 stops through more than 200 years of George Town's Islamic history
About This Walk
This short self-guided walk links two of Penang's oldest mosques, the founder's tomb beside the Acheen Street Mosque, the street once called the "Second Jeddah", and an 1860 merchant's mansion. All four stops are inside the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Both mosques still serve their congregations, so time your visit outside prayer times and dress modestly.
Walk at a Glance
The Route: 4 Stops
Follow the stops in order for the most coherent historical narrative
Masjid Kapitan Keling (Start)
Start at the mosque founded in 1801 for the South Indian Muslim community. Non-Muslims can visit daily 11am-1pm, 2pm-4:30pm and 5pm-6pm (Fridays 2pm-6pm only). Robes are lent free at the entrance.
Historical note: In 1801 Sir George Leith appointed Cauder Mohuddeen Merican as Kapitan of the South Indian Muslim community and granted land for a mosque. Its present appearance dates from a 1930 renovation.
Masjid Melayu Lebuh Aceh (Acheen Street Mosque)
Walk on to the Acheen Street Mosque, built on land given by Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid. Look for the Arab-style minaret with its Acehnese roof. No visiting hours are published, so visit outside prayer times and ask before going in.
Historical note: Wikipedia dates the mosque to 1808; some guides give 1801.
Founder's Tomb and Lebuh Aceh
Beside the mosque is the cemetery where Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid and members of his family are buried. Then walk the street that grew up around the mosque.
Historical note: Lebuh Aceh was once called the "Second Jeddah": each hajj season it filled with pilgrims waiting for passage to Mecca, until Lembaga Tabung Haji took over pilgrim travel in the 1970s.
Syed Alatas Mansion (End)
Finish at the 1860 mansion of the merchant Syed Mohammad Alatas, which housed the Penang Islamic Museum until around 2011. The museum has closed, so view the building from the street.
Historical note: Syed Mohammad Alatas was of Acehnese descent, part of the merchant community that settled around Lebuh Aceh.
Historical Context
Understanding the history behind the sites makes the walk far richer
Founding
Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid, an Acehnese merchant of Arab descent, settles in Penang in 1792. In 1801 the South Indian Muslim community is granted land for Masjid Kapitan Keling. The Acheen Street Mosque follows on land Tengku Syed Hussain gives (Wikipedia dates it 1808).
Merchant houses
Syed Mohammad Alatas, a merchant of Acehnese descent, builds his mansion on Lebuh Armenian, near the Acheen Street Mosque.
Masjid Kapitan Keling renovated
A renovation gives the mosque its present appearance and doubles the height of its central prayer hall.
The "Second Jeddah"
Lebuh Aceh fills with pilgrims each hajj season, waiting for passage to Mecca, until Lembaga Tabung Haji takes over pilgrim travel in the 1970s.
UNESCO listing
George Town and Melaka are inscribed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which covers the streets on this walk.
All Islamic Heritage Sites
Complete reference list for independent exploration
Acheen Street Mosque and Founder's Tomb
mosqueMasjid Melayu Lebuh Aceh and the cemetery beside it, where its founder Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid and members of his family are buried.
Tip: The founder's grave has simple, unadorned tombstones under a shelter.
Lebuh Aceh, the "Second Jeddah"
trail landmarkThe streets around the Acheen Street Mosque, settled by Acehnese and Arab merchants in George Town's early years.
Tip: The Syed Alatas Mansion is about 150 m north of the mosque, so the two fit in one short walk.
Syed Alatas Mansion (former Penang Islamic Museum)
trail landmarkA mansion built in 1860 by Syed Mohammad Alatas, a merchant of Acehnese descent. It housed the Penang Islamic Museum until around 2011.
Tip: It is about 150 m north of the Acheen Street Mosque.
Islamic Architectural Styles You'll See
Mughal
Domes, pointed and horseshoe arches from the Islamic architecture of India. Seen at Masjid Kapitan Keling, whose 1930 renovation gave it its present look.
Arab-style minaret, Acehnese roof
The Acheen Street Mosque pairs an Arab-style minaret with an Acehnese roof.
Islamic Heritage Walk FAQs
How long does the Islamic heritage walk take?
Allow about an hour for the four stops, plus time inside Masjid Kapitan Keling if you visit during its visitor hours. All four are in the George Town heritage core, and the Acheen Street Mosque and the Syed Alatas Mansion are about 150 m apart.
When is the best time to do the Islamic heritage walk?
Masjid Kapitan Keling opens to non-Muslim visitors daily 11am-1pm, 2pm-4:30pm and 5pm-6pm, and only from 2pm on Fridays, so plan the start around those hours. Avoid prayer times, which change daily (JAKIM e-Solat, zone PNG01). Mornings are cooler for walking.
Is the walk suitable for non-Muslim visitors?
Yes. Non-Muslims can visit Masjid Kapitan Keling in its visitor hours (not the central prayer hall), and robes are lent free at its entrance. The Acheen Street Mosque publishes no visiting hours, so ask before going in. Lebuh Aceh and the outside of the Syed Alatas Mansion are public streets.
What was Penang's role in the hajj?
Lebuh Aceh was once called the "Second Jeddah". At the start of each hajj season it filled with pilgrims and their families waiting for passage to Mecca. The trade ended after Lembaga Tabung Haji was set up in the 1970s.
Who founded the Acheen Street Mosque?
The mosque stands on land given by Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid, an Acehnese aristocrat of Arab descent who settled in Penang in 1792 and became a wealthy merchant. He and members of his family are buried in the cemetery beside the mosque.