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Gereja Immaculate Conception

The Church of Immaculate Conception along Burmah Road in Pulau Tikus, George Town, was founded by Portuguese Eurasians who came to settle in Penang to escape persecution in Phuket. They were the latecomers - an earlier wave of Catholic immigrants arrived in Penang on the invitation of Francis Light, and had founded the Church of the Assumption. The Catholic community in Phuket, although dwindling in numbers, stayed put in Phuket until the Phya Tak Massacre of 1810, which propelled them to leave.

The Eurasians, or Serani as they were locally called, adopted local elements such as speaking Malay, and live in kampong houses, similar to the Portuguese settlement in Malacca. There was a sizable Eurasian community in the Pulau Tikus area of Kelawai Road, so much so that there once was a Kampong Serani, and road names such as Leandro's Lane bear their imprint.

The present building of the Church of Immaculate Conception was erected in 1899, and was last renovated in the 1970s. I photograph it when documenting heritage sites in Penang for Penang Travel Tips and AsiaExplorers. The characteristic of the church has gradually turned from Eurasians to Chinese, as the Eurasian community of Pulau Tikus was gradually erased and taken over by the Chinese population of Penang.


St Chastan Monument

St. Chastan Monument

St Chastan Monument is a monument on the grounds of the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Click the link to learn more about it.

Further Reading

Learn about the early history of the Eurasians and the Roman Catholics in Penang through the following pages in Penang Travel Tips:
  1. St Chastan Monument
    Monument to one of the two teachers at College General who was martyred in Korea, beatified in 1925 and canonised in 1984.

  2. St Joseph's Novitiate
    The St Joseph Training College that was once next to College General, now the site of Gurney Paragon.

  3. Church of the Assumption
    Church built by the first wave of Eurasians that came over with Father Arnaud-Antoine Garnault at the invitation of Captain Francis Light.

  4. Penang Eurasian Association
    Association of the small community of Eurasians in Penang, based at their former settlement in Pulau Tikus.

  5. Pulau Tikus
    District that was formerly comprised a Eurasian and a Burmese/Thai village, today an upscale suburb of George Town.

Nearby Sights

  • Penang Adventist Hospital

    • Nearby Shopping

  • Midlands One Stop
  • Gurney Plaza

    • Visiting Penang

    If you're planning a trip to Penang, please go through the information I have assembled in Penang Travel Tips. You'd find there information covering all aspect about Penang, including accommodation, transport, food, shopping, places of interest and more. Everything you need to know Penang is right there at your finger tips!


    Church of Immaculate Conception, Pulau Tikus.


    Click for list of Penang Churches



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    Penang Travel Tips is researched and written by Timothy Tye, universally known as Tim. The text is the copyright of Timothy Tye, and may not be copied for commercial use or re-published in another website without the author's permission. Information provided is in goodwill and is believed to be correct and up-to-date at time of writing. Photographs on this website are the copyright of the author and may not be reused without prior permission. For commercial licensing of photographs, read the licensing terms.