Queen Victoria Clock Tower

Look up. No, really, look straight up at that extraordinary white tower rising 60 feet into the Penang sky. That's the Queen Victoria Clock Tower, and it's one of the most photographed, most beloved, and most historically fascinating landmarks in George Town. But here's what's really wild — this tower was built as a love letter. Yes, lah, a love letter to a British monarch by a local millionaire, and the story is absolutely brilliant. It's 1897. Queen Victoria, the British monarch, reaches the 60th year of her reign — her Diamond Jubilee. It's a massive celebration across the entire British Empire. And in George Town, a phenomenally wealthy local businessman named Cheah Chen Eok, a Chinese merchant who had made an enormous fortune in tin and trade, decides that he wants to commemorate this royal occasion. But not in a quiet way, not with a plaque or something understated. No, he builds a clock tower. A magnificent, eye-catching, absolutely unforgettable clock tower. And here's the clever bit — it's 60 feet tall. Each foot represents one year of the Queen's reign. It's mathematical poetry! The design is Moorish — influenced by the Islamic architectural tradition. The tower is octagonal,...