Monday, April 26, 2010

IPOH HERITAGE WALK



Pada 25hb April 2010 Persatuan Pelancongan Negeri Perak (PTA) dengan kerjasama Tourism Malaysia Perak dan Tourism Perak Sdn Bhd telah menganjurkan 'Ipoh Heritage Walk' bertempat di Dewan Bandaran Ipoh.

Acara bermula dari Dewan Bandaran Ipoh dan berakhir di Tourism Information Center di Padang Ipoh.

Berikut ada senarai tempat-tempat yang dibawa semasa acara tersebut (diambil dari Ipoh Heritage Trail Map 1).


1. Railway Station
Ipoh's Railway Station was built from 1914 to 1917 in the Neo-Classical style and designed by government architect A.B. Hubback. Often referred to as the "Taj Mahal" of Ipoh, the building is similar to the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station (also designed by A.B.Hubback).

2. War Memorial
The War Memorial is located in Station Square in front of the Railway Station. The memorial commemorates Perak's war dead and bears the words "Sacred to the memory of the men from the state of Perak who fell in the Great War 1914-1918 and to those who died in the 1939-1945 War"

3. Town Hall and Old Post Office
The Town Hall and Old Post Office building, located back to back, were constructed from 1914 to 1916 in the Neo-Classical style and designed by A.B.Hubback, The Malay Nationalist Party, the first political party formed in Malaya, held its inaugural congress here in late 1945.




4. High Court
The High Court was built from 1926 to 1928 in the Neo-Classical style and replaced the older courthouses in service from 1888 to 1909. The building was opened by the then British Resident in Perak, R.W. Thompson on the 14 July 1928. It was used as a High Court by the Japanese during the Occupation.



5. Royal Ipoh Club
The Royal Ipoh Club was founded by a group of Europeans in 1895 and has the distinction of being the oldest club in Ipoh. During the Occupation the building was used by the Japanese Army as a laundry house for officers based at nearby St. Michael's Institution.

6. Church of St. John The Divine
Consecrated in 1912, St. John the Divine was, when built, the largest church in Malaya. During the Japanese Occupation the church was converted into a noodle factory for a short period of time.



7. St. Michael's Institution
Established in 1912, St. Michael's Institution was founded by Father J.B. Coppin and built in the Gothic style. The current buildings were constructed over a period of 30 years commencing from 1922. During the Occupation, St. Michael's Institution became the headquarters of the Japanese Administration in Perak.



8. Town Padang Mosque
Constructed by Indian workers in 1908, in the Mogul style, the square-shaped Mosque was built at a cost of about $500,000. The Mosque was built by Shaik Adam, a wealthy Tamil Muslim, following a dispute with Muslims in the Malay Community.



9. F.M.S. Bar & Restaurant
Founded in 1906 by a Hainanese immigrant, the F.M.S. (Federated Malay States) is reputed to be the oldest restaurant in Malaysia. The main clientele were European miners and planters. It moved to its current premises in 1923.



10. Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank
Built in 1931 in the Neo-Renaissance style, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Building was the tallest in town until post-Independence. It was built to attract and impress both bank clients and tenants which included professinal, business and mining companies.

11. S.P.H. De Silva Building
Built at the turn of last century in the Renaissance style, this is one of Ipoh's oldest commercial buildings. S.P.H. De Silva was for decades known as silversmiths and for the manufacture of trophies, shields and medals.

12. Chung Thye Phin Building
Built in 1907 by Chung Thye Phin (the last Kapitan Cina of Perak), this building has long been associated with medicine. If first housed Dr RM Connelly's Medical Hall, then Oldfields Dispensaries Ltd and finally Georgetown Dispensary.

13. Straits Trading Building (OCBC)
The Straits Trading Company erected this building in 1907, in the Italian Renaissance style, with a corner tower. Straits Trading bought tin ore from the miners and at its peak handled half of all sales of tin produced in the States.

14. The Chartered Bank
The Chartered Bank origanally opened its Ipoh branch in 1902 and provided credit to the Straits Trading Company and later the Eastern Smelting Company. The current building dates from 1924.

15. Mercantile Bank
Built in 1931, this Art Deco building was built for the Mercantile Bank of India. Although the ownership has changed the words "Mercantile Bank" and "1931" remain on the front of the building.

16. Residence & Law Office of The Seenivasagam Brothers
Located on the southern edge of Ipoh Padang, this row of pre-war townhouses housed many legal and professional firms including the Seenivasagam Brothers at No.7 The Brothers also founded the Perak Progressive Party in 1953.

17. Perak Hydro Building
The Perak River Hydro-Electric Power Company was formed in London in 1926 to supply power to the mines and dredges in the Kinta Valley. The company was located at these premises from the 1930's.

18. Birch Memorial
This clock tower was built in 1909 as a memorial to J.W.W Birch, the first British Resident of Perak. Birch was assassinated in Pasir Salak in 1875. The panels portray famous figures from world history.

19. Jan Sahib's Office
Originally a block of commercial buildings built in the early 1930's, No. 128 Belfield Street was the office of Jan Sahib, son of Shaik Adam, founder of the Town Padang Mosque. Jan Sahib came to Ipoh to join his father's business, the Kinta Ice Aerated Water and Bakery Company.

20. Mikasa Photo Shop
By 1911, Mikasa Photo Studio occupied these premises at No.93-95 Belfield Street. A Japanese spy, Masaji Fukabori alias Masaji Hosaka, once worked at Mikasa sending information about Malaya back to the Japanese Army.

21. Dramatis' Hotel
Built in the 1920's, this building was constructed as a hostel for the actors who performed next door at the Chinese opera theatre. The original theatre dated back to 1891 and was rebuilt in 1906. The theatre has since been demolished.

22. Perak Ku Kong Chow Association
This Chinese association building was built in 1928 for the Cantonese community living in the Kinta Valley. At one time it was home to the largest Cantonese community in Malaya. The facade is in the form of an imperial arch.


23. Han Chin Pet Soo
Han Chin Pet Soo was founded as a miner's club by Yau Tet Shin and Leong Fee. The current building dates from 1929. It was the only club extempt from registration under the "Exemptions Under The Registration of Societies Order" dating back to 1895.


24. Panglima Lane (Concubine Lane)
Known as 'Second Concubine Lane' this street dated back to the turn of the last century. At that time, the town houses were renowned for opium, gambling and brothels. The lane later developed into a residential area where the concubines of rich Chinese tycoons were reputedly kept.