49-505: Penang Hill is a hill resort comprising a group of peaks near the center of Penang Island , Malaysia . It is located within the Air Itam suburb, 9 km (5.6 mi) west of the center of George Town . Penang Hill is also known by the Malay name Bukit Bendera , which actually refers to Flagstaff Hill , the most developed peak. One of the peaks is known as Strawberry Hill , which
98-525: A Swiss design. Construction of the second railway cost 1.5 million Straits dollars . The 2,007 m (6,585 ft)-long funicular railway was informally opened on October 21, 1923 for the commencement of a trial operation. After a successful trial period, on 1 January 1924, the railway was officially opened by the then Governor of Straits Settlement, Sir L.N. Guillemard . In its first year of operation it carried 35,201 passengers and made 4,021 trips. The Penang Municipality, George Town managed and maintained
147-417: A boarding school The International School of Penang (Uplands) from 1955 till 1977. The first police station was built in 1929, and the building is still standing here on the same site. In the early days the only way to the top of hill was to travel on foot or horseback, or be carried on a dooly ( sedan chair ). The first attempt at a mountain railway on Penang Hill began in 1897 but it proved unsuccessful; it
196-615: A debilitating land". The hill stations were meant to reproduce the home country, illustrated in Lord Lytton 's statement about Ootacamund in the 1870s as having "such beautiful English rain, such delicious English mud." Shimla was officially made the "summer capital of India" in the 1860s and hill stations "served as vital centres of political and military power, especially after the 1857 revolt." As noted by Indian historian Vinay Lal , hill stations in India also served "as spaces for
245-702: A landscape type tied to nineteenth-century discourses of imperialism and climate. Both discourses serve as evidence of a belief in racial difference and, thereby, the imperial hill station reflected and reinforced a framework of meaning that influenced European views of the non-western world in general." The historian of Himalayan cultures Shekhar Pathak speaking about the development of Hill Stations like Mussoorie noted that "the needs of this (European) elite created colonies in Dehradun of Indians to cater to them." This "exclusive, clean, and secure social space – known as an enclave – for white Europeans ... evolved to become
294-502: A new building with retractable roof and a new multi-storey car park for visitors travelling by car. Visitors can also reach the station on the 204 Rapid Penang bus from George Town, Penang . For Malaysian citizens, the fare for a return ticket is RM12 per adult and RM6 per child aged between three and 12. Senior citizens have cheaper fares at RM6 per person. For non-Malaysian the fare is RM30 for adults and RM15 for children. The ride remains free of charge for disabled persons holding
343-486: A passing loop in the middle and intermediate stops. The cars were pulled by steel cable electrically driven with a 500-volt power supply. The railway has a tunnel which measures 79 m (258 feet) long and is the steepest tunnel in the world. It took 30 minutes to go up the hill on the funicular service with a change of train in the middle station. The first carriages were wooden with defined first and second class compartments in each one. The four carriages were in use on
392-403: Is 735 m (2,411 ft) above sea level. A number of small rivers and streams originate from the region. Sungai Pinang ( Malay for Penang River) is the largest of the rivers, and it starts from a number of tributaries in the area. Because Penang Hill has a cooler environment, it has been a popular holiday retreat. A number of bungalows were built around Flagstaff Hill. The northern part of
441-634: Is a one-section funicular railway which climbs the Penang Hill from Air Itam , on the outskirts of the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang . The railway first opened in 1923 as a two-section railway, but was overhauled in 2010 into a one-section system. It is a single-track railway with a passing loop , and it passes through a tunnel which is the steepest in the world. The total journey time can take between five and twenty minutes. The funicular train coach travels directly from
490-523: Is also used by off-road motorcycle enthusiasts to traverse up the steep terrain. It is a popular hiking route. It begins at the quarry at the entrance of the Penang Botanic Gardens and it takes a two- or three-hour leisurely hike to reach the top. Some of the more famous pit stops at the mountain are 52 and 84. At these pit stops, a view of the island is visible to hikers, who are able to get some water and tea prepared by locals stationed on
539-426: Is an area rich in biodiversity and has a great number of endemic species, some of which are so rare that their existence is endangered. The rare and endangered species include the parasitic plant Exorhopalia ruficeps , which grows in the shady and damp undergrowth. The Penang Slipper Orchid ( Paphiopedilum barbatum ) is fast becoming over-collected and disappearing. The endangered witch hazel Maingaya malayana
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#1732783345419588-415: Is consistently below 21 °C. The hottest months are between December and April while the coolest months are between June and October. It is generally 5 degrees cooler than the city centre . As of 2020, Penang Hill was home to a population of 332. Non-citizens constituted over 77% of the population, followed by Chinese at nearly 13% and Indians at 6%. The most common forest type found on Penang Hill
637-440: Is discerning enough, the stick insect and leaf mantis may be found well-camouflaged among the vegetation. Penang Hill has a rich bird fauna. Over 100 species or about 80% of the birds found on Penang Island have been recorded here. They range from the common garden species to rare deep forest inhabitants. Hill resort A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The English term
686-420: Is mainly a hilly granitic mass. The hill system is higher towards the northern part with its highest point at Western Hill, at an elevation of 833 m (2,733 ft) above sea level. Other than Western Hill, there are a number of peaks in the region, such as Bukit Laksamana ( Malay for Admiral Hill), Tiger Hill, Flagstaff Hill, Haliburton's Hill, Fern Hill, Strawberry Hill, and Government Hill. Flagstaff Hill
735-515: Is named after a Frenchman, Michael Jules Moniot who surveyed it between 1846 and 1855. Moniot Road has been declared a Heritage Trail in 1995 by the Governor of Penang. A system of bridle paths forms walks connecting the different bungalows. Indian penal servitude prisoners shipped from Bencoolen , Sumatra to Penang during the second half of the 19th century built these by-paths. Numerous trekking trails lead from various starting points in
784-529: Is now a very popular tourist destination due to its history and heritage. The top of Flagstaff Hill, the most developed tourist area, is accessible via the Penang Hill Railway from its base station at Hill Railway Station Road . To date, this funicular railway system is the only one of its kind in Malaysia, transporting over a million visitors to the top of Penang Hill as of 2014. Penang Hill
833-657: Is part of Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve , recognized by UNESCO as the third Biosphere Reserve in Malaysia listed in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). Captain Francis Light, founder of the colony in Penang, first plotted a horse track from the Penang Botanic Gardens waterfall up to the top of the hill in 1788. He cleared an area in order to grow strawberries , and it therefore became known as Strawberry Hill. The official name of Penang Hill however
882-401: Is the hill dipterocarp forest. Growing at higher altitudes are some of the submontane oak-laurel as well as coniferous trees. The tree fern which is normally associated with higher elevations is also found growing here. Penang Hill is scientifically important as a type site of many Malaysian plant species. In the past, botanists came here to collect plants for herbaria around the world. It
931-401: The 87-year-old funicular railway was closed for an upgrade to a new system at a cost of RM 63 million. New tracks were laid, and new cars purchased to increase the passenger capacity and the speed of the train. A new base station and a public carpark were also constructed. The timber from the old railway track was re-used in the construction of a new four-storey Penang Hill Visitor Centre at
980-564: The Hills are not well developed. Government Hill, Bukit Timah ( Malay for Tin Hill) and others are designated water catchment areas and no development is permitted. Some recreational potential exists at the upper reaches of the river where the water is relatively clean. In a number of cases, sudden changes in ground level have resulted in a series of small waterfalls and rapids, where bathing, dipping and picnicking are popular. The lower terrain of
1029-417: The Hills is used mainly for agricultural and residential purposes. The most convenient way up to Penang Hill is by means of the Penang Hill Railway , a funicular railway from Air Itam to the top of Flagstaff Hill. The 2,007 m (1.247 mi) journey used to take about half an hour and the train may stop at intermediate stations upon request. However, upgrades to the system now allows non-stop rides to
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#17327833454191078-576: The Indian state of Himachal Pradesh , are two example of that misuse of Hill Station or more accurately deviation of its meaning. These two historical settlements existed prior to the British, and haven't been specially frequented by them or even extensively modified or shaped by them. However, the rise of internal domestic tourism in India from the eighties and the subsequent reproduction of Hill Station practice by urban middle-class Indians contributed to
1127-754: The Lower Station at Air Itam , and the final stop of the ride is the Upper Station at the top of Penang Hill. There are a number of stations along the railway between the Upper and Lower stations - the Middle Station (which is currently open only to residents), as well as the Claremont, Viaduct, and the Lower and Upper Tunnel stations. Since the 2010 upgrade, the train normally proceeds directly to
1176-462: The area. The hill became a cool retreat for the British colonists from the heat of the lowlands and threat of malaria , and many bungalows were built on the summit of Penang Hill for government servants and army officials. A convalescent bungalow was built in 1803. One of the earliest buildings on Strawberry Hill was a house built by David Brown on land given by Francis Light. Australian historian Marcus Langdon, however, believes Strawberry Hill house
1225-443: The building of holiday villas and bungalows by Europeans and wealthy local Chinese towkays alike. It also led to its development into a major tourist destination in Penang. It received well over a million visitors a year by 2012. A major revamp at Penang Hill was initiated in 2010. The railway was overhauled, allowing for faster access to the hill, and facilities for visitors, walkways and viewing decks were constructed. Penang Hill
1274-654: The colonial administration. The first attempt used a steam engine and was not funicular, and it proved to be a failure. The line was constructed between 1901 and 1905, but did not work due to technical faults. In 1909, the Straits government organised a new project, the Penang Hills Funicular Railway. This railway project was designed by Arnold R Johnson, an engineer with the Federated Malay States Railways, based on
1323-500: The colonial structuring of a segregational and ontological divide between Indians and Europeans, and as institutional sites of imperial power." William Dalrymple wrote that "The viceroy was the spider at the heart of Simla's web: From his chambers in Viceregal Lodge, he pulled the strings of an empire that stretched from Rangoon in the east to Aden in the west." Meanwhile Judith T Kenny observed that "the hill station as
1372-495: The evolution of hill stations in India: high refuge, high refuge to hill station, and hill station to town. The first settlements started in the 1820s, primarily as sanitoria. In the 1840s and 1850s, there was a wave of new hill stations, with the main impetus being "places to rest and recuperate from the arduous life on the plains". In the second half of the 19th century, there was a period of consolidation with few new hill stations. In
1421-531: The final phase, "hill stations reached their zenith in the late nineteenth century. The political importance of the official stations was underscored by the inauguration of large and costly public-building projects." The concept of Hill Station has been used loosely in India (and more broadly South Asia) since the mid-20th century to qualify any town or settlement in mountainous areas, which attempt to expand its local economy toward tourism, or have been invested by recent mass tourism practices. Kullu and Manali in
1470-489: The first reasons in the early 1800s, was for the place to act as a sanitorium for the ailing family members of British officials. After the rebellion of 1857 , the British "sought further distance from what they saw as a disease-ridden land by [escaping] to the Himalayas in the north". Other factors included anxieties about the dangers of life in India, among them "fear of degeneration brought on by too long residence in
1519-437: The hill. Eighty Four is the last pit stop before the top of Penang Hill—approximately forty-five more minutes from 84. Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra , more commonly known as Summit Road, leads from the top station to the western part of the hill right towards Western Hill and Tiger Hill. The eastern face of Penang Hill is well served by a series of roads and paths, for example, Moniot Road, Viaduct Road, and Tunnel Road. Moniot Road
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1568-601: The labelling of these two localities as Hill Stations . Munnar , a settlement in the state of Kerala whose economy is primarily based on tea cultivation and processing , as well as plantation agriculture, is another example of a hill town transformed by contemporaneous tourism practices as a hill station. Most hill stations, listed by region: Hundreds of hill stations are located in India. The most popular hill stations in India include: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Punjab Sindh Balochistan Gilgit Baltistan Penang Hill Railway The Penang Hill Railway
1617-522: The largest number of hill stations, most are situated at an altitude of approximately 1,000 to 2,500 metres (3,300 to 8,200 ft). Nandi Hills is a 11th-century hill station that was developed by the Ganga dynasty in present-day Karnataka , India. Tipu Sultan (1751–1799) notably used it as a summer retreat. Hill stations in British India were established for a variety of reasons. One of
1666-488: The lower station to the top, but may stop at other intermediate stations upon request. The Penang Hill Railway was initially constructed for the British colonial community to enjoy the cooler air of the Penang Hill. The first attempt at a mountain railway on Penang Hill began with a proposal by three British residents, D. Logan, Joseph Heim and Alan Wilson and the formation of a private company in 1897, with funding from
1715-611: The lowlands to Penang Hill. The more popular trails include the Moongate Trail, trail from Air Itam Dam to Tiger Hill, trail from Hye Keat Estate and trail from the Municipal Park (formerly Youth Park). Some of the trails are used by farmers to transport produce to the markets of Balik Pulau and Air Itam. The most important feature of Penang Hill is the cooler climate. The core summit area has an average temperature ranging from 20° to 27 °C. The mean minimum temperature
1764-440: The old system. On April 25, 2011, the new railway system resumed its service, although initially there were a number of technical hitches which caused the service to be temporarily suspended. The train service runs from 6.30am to 9pm daily, and the new car can reach the top in as little as five minutes. The upgrade led to a large increase in passengers carried; in 2014, the number of passengers reached 1.365 million, compared to
1813-409: The railway for over 50 years until they were retired in 1977 and replaced with the red carriages which had fans and automatic sliding doors. Each of the red Swiss-made carriages can hold up to 80 people, mostly standing. They were in use for over 30 years until 2010. After a series of breakdowns, the idea of a complete overhaul of the system with a new funicular railway was mooted. On 22 February 2010,
1862-424: The railway from its opening until February 1, 1977, when it was taken over by the Penang state Government. Until 2010, the Penang Hills Funicular Railway had two independent sections due to the difference in gradient between the lower and upper section, and passengers were required to change trains at the middle station. The upper and lower sections each had two counterbalanced 40-passenger cars, and each section had
1911-403: The seats of government and foci of elite social activity", and created racial distinctions which perpetuated British colonial power and oppression as Nandini Bhattacharya notes. Dale Kennedy observed that "the hill station, then, was seen as an exclusive British preserve: here it was possible to render the Indian into an outsider". Kennedy, following Monika Bührlein, identifies three stages in
1960-425: The top in five to ten minutes. As a means of reducing congestion and decreasing reliance on the railway, a cable car system linking the peak with the Penang Botanic Gardens is being built as of 2024. The system is expected to be completed by 2026. Alternatively, there is a 5.1 km (3.2 mi) tarred road known popularly as the "jeep track". It is open only to the vehicles of hill residents. The "jeep track"
2009-406: The top without stopping at the Middle Station. It is however possible to stop at some of the intermediate stations by arrangement with the driver. The Upper Station has been upgraded with the construction of an extended viewing platform named Skywalk, an elevated walkway leading to a food court, as well as a lift, a cafe and a museum gallery. The Lower Station at Air Itam has been improved with
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2058-437: The top. The new train and railway, unlike the railway before 2010, does not require passengers to change trains halfway up. Passengers can have non-stop service in the new blue and white, air-conditioned Swiss-made cars that are capable of ferrying up to 100 passengers in one go. The funicular train maximum working load has been set at 7,500 kg (16,500 lb). It can carry 1,000 passengers per hour compared to 250 under
2107-414: The visitors number to Penang Hill of around half a million in 2008. Ridership increased to 1.74 million by 2018, leading to concerns of congestion. In 2019, a proposed cable car system linking the peak of Penang Hill with the Penang Botanic Gardens was announced by the Malaysian federal government as a means of reducing the overdependence on the railway. Visitors can enter the funicular railway at
2156-518: Was Flagstaff Hill, which is still reflected in its name in Malay, Bukit Bendera (literally "Flag Hill"). The name was a reference to the flagstaff outside "Bel Retiro", which was the residence of the Governor of Penang built by Francis Light c. 1789. The area is, however, widely known as Penang Hill which is, in fact, a collective term covering a number of hills, and the other names such as Flagstaff Hill and Strawberry Hill are still used for specific peaks in
2205-430: Was also the name of a house owned by Francis Light , founder of Penang colony. A number of hills are covered by Penang Hill, with the highest point being Western Hill that stands at an altitude of 833 meters (2,733 feet) above sea level. Penang Hill is a hilly and forested area that stands out from the lowlands of Malaysia by being hilly and wooded. The area was used as a retreat during the British colonial period, and
2254-494: Was built between 1901 and 1905 but had technical faults. The Straits government then organised a new project to construct the Penang Hill Funicular Railway at a cost of 1.5 million Straits dollars . The railway was first opened to the public on 21 October 1923 and officially opened on 1 January 1924. The funicular railway led to a sharp increase in residential development as it became a location for
2303-571: Was built by William Edward Phillips , who was also the owner of Suffolk House , and not David Brown. The house, however, burnt down and it was rebuilt in the 19th century, later used as a restaurant as of 2012. The post office was first opened in 1894, and a hotel, the Crag Hotel, owned by the Sarkies Brothers , was established in 1895 but sold in the 1920s; it was operational until it was closed during World War II . The building became
2352-468: Was originally used mostly in colonial Asia , but also in Africa (albeit rarely), for towns founded by European colonialists as refuges from the summer heat and, as Dale Kennedy observes about the Indian context, "the hill station (...) was seen as an exclusive British preserve: here it was possible to render the Indian into an outsider". The term is still used in present day, particularly in India, which has
2401-408: Was rediscovered years ago and has since been propagated. Large mammals are not found on Penang Hill. Wild boars, small and medium-sized mammals such as the squirrels, monkeys and tree shrews can be seen. A number of species found in these hills are nocturnal. These include the civets, colugos, flying squirrels and bats. In the evenings, the characteristic calls of the crickets are often heard. If one
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