Taiping Clock Tower Explained

Taiping Clock Tower
Menara Jam Taiping
Location:Jalan Kota, Taiping, Perak, Malaysia
Built:1891

The Taiping Clock Tower (Malay: Menara Jam Taiping) is a clock tower situated in Jalan Kota, Taiping, Perak, Malaysia.

History

The first clock tower on the site was a wooden construction built in 1881 which was replaced in 1891 by a brick building of which only a small section remains today. Known locally as "the Fort", its primary use was as a police station for the British administration although within a few years of its construction it was also used as the town's fire station.[1] [2] After the Second World War it ceased to be used as a police station and remained unoccupied. After undergoing renovation, it is today used as a visitor information centre.[3]

Description

With neoclassical elements included in the design, above the entrance on the first floor is a decorative portico with a pediment surmounted by a spire which houses the four-faced clock.

References

4.8522°N 100.7419°W

Notes and References

  1. News: 31 October 1891 . PERAK NEWS. . 6 . Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle .
  2. News: 28 November 1916 . Untitled . 6 . The Straits Times .
  3. Web site: 1 July 2022 . Taiping Heritage Trail – 40 Interesting Places in Taiping .