The fort is one of the first European structures in Penang. Fort Cornwallis is probably the only remaining fort built by the British in this part of the world.
The star-shaped Fort Cornwallis stands at the place where Francis Light and crew landed on 11thAugust 1786 to "take possession" of the island of Penang from the Sultan of Kedah.
Originally the fort was made of wooden structures, but this was quickly replaced by a brick fort. The fort also have a Christian chapel and a gunpowder magazine within its wall. The fort was designed to protect the harbor from possible French attacks. The fort was named after the Governor-General of Bengal, Charles Marquis Cornwallis.
Fort Cornwallis Lighthouse is one of the oldest lighthouse in Malaysia.Today, much of the old fort remains, but its precincts have been converted into a public park and an open air theater. It is still guarded by old cannons, which were retrieved by the British from pirates who had captured them from the Johore Sultanate.
The statue of Francis Light, modeled after his son was relocated from the Penang State Museum to the grounds of Fort Cornwallis. The status now overlooks the fort and it holds a great heritage treasure in the heart of Georgetown