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Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Penang
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Things to Do in Penang: Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion tips and photos posted by real travelers and Penang locals.
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
14 leith street, 10200 penang, malaysia
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• 35 Reviews
Penang Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion ReviewsTips 1 - 10 of 35  
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Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: The Best Ancient Chinese architecture in Penang
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  • Updated By bpacker on November 13, 2005
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  • File picture of the interior - Penang
    File picture of the interior
    by bpacker
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    "The historical Cheong Fatt Tze mansion in Penang became the pride of Malaysia - beating 26 other international entries to secure the Unesco Asia-Pacific's Most Excellent Heritage Project Award. The magnificent structure was restored by architect Laurence Loh and is also known as 'La Maison Bleu' or the Blue Mansion and touted as the best of 18th and 19th century Chinese architecture in Penang." (New Straits Times, The Star/Asia News Network) Now, if you think that Kek Lok Si Temple is the best ancient Chinese architecture in Penang, you're sadly wrong. It happens to the strange blue mansion which you barely looked at when you were clubbing in Leith Street. Yes, the one with the faded blue paint. Despite the crummy exterior, the interior of Cheong Fatt Tze mansion is an architectural marvel. God only knows how many times my breath was taken away when I gawked at the ceremic relief paintings, the gold-encrusted wooden frames and the majesty of the spiral staircase. The crummy blue exterior paint which I found out later, happened to be indigo paint which washes off with every rainfall but since the paint is organic, it preserves the "health" of the walls and prevents cracks. Visit this little blue UNESCO gem while you're in Penang. It's surprising isn't it to know that you don't have to fly elsewhere to look at a world heritage architecture? NOTE:Photography is prohibited of the interior so visit thewebsite below to have a better look.

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  • Phone: +60 4 2625289
  • Website: http://www.penang-hotels.com/cheongfatttze/

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    Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: the 'blue mansion'
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  • By ellielou on April 12, 2006
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  • the old and the new - Penang
    the old and the new
    by ellielou, 3 more photos
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    During the excellent tour you get of the mansion (and you need to go on a tour), you learn that Chung Fatt Tze was "the last mandarin, the first capitalist.' The house, and the man are fascinating. You really shouldn't miss this....it's full of delights, and is a great learning experience and introduction to part of the history of Penang.

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  • Phone: +60 4 2625289
  • Website: http://www.cheongfatttzemansion.com/

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    Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: Unesco Award Winning - Chinese Blue Mansion
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  • Updated By SLLiew on December 9, 2007
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  • Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion - Penang
    by SLLiew, 4 more photos
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    You cannot miss the blue painted walls of this imposing heritage building. It is located at Leith Street and triangulated by Chulia Street, Penang Road and Light Street. The private owners have bought this mansion and restored to building to its original splendour - winning a UNESCO restoration award. It was the 19th century residence of Cheong Fatt Tze, a Hakka immigrant "rags to riches" millionaire who was deputized by the Qing Emperor. There is a tour twice a day which covers the "fengshui" or geomancy aspects of the building. Upstairs, the glass windows are beautifully restored. There is also an interesting small souvenir shop. Also refurnished heritage rooms for tourist accommodation with a nice courtyard. Worthy of a visit for any first timers.

  • Phone: 604 2625289
  • Website: http://www.cheongfatttzemansion.com/

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    Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: Rare old heritage mansion ....
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  • Updated By kenyneo on May 12, 2004
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  • Nice roof carving - Penang
    Nice roof carving
    by kenyneo
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    on Lebuh Leith, also referred to as the Blue Mansion who is cheong fatt tze It was the favorite home of Cheong Fatt Tse (1840-1916), a rags to riches Hakka entrepreneur who become a powerful industrialist, was appointed a Ching dynasty consul-general representing the Overseas Chinese, and a first class mandarin. In later years he was called "China's last Mandarin & first Capitalist", and shortly before he died, the New York Times dubbed him "China's Rockefeller". He had eight wives & six sons, and although he owned many residences throughout his trading empire, he made Penang his base in the early 1890s & built his family home there. A Fengshui house embedded within the house's walls are large copper pipes that divert rainwater through the house for cooling purposes in the tropics. The pipes lead to the centre courtyard, which channels the water in from a vent shaped like a Chinese coin to symbolise wealth flowing into the house.

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  • Phone: +60 4 2625289
  • Website: http://www.cheongfatttzemansion.com/

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    Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: The Blue Mansion
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  • By cheekychic on October 31, 2004
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  • Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion - Penang
    by cheekychic
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    This exotic indigo-blue mansion, with graceful, curved windows and a peaked, tiled roof, stands out in the midst of Penang's heritage building and modern high-rises. The 38-room mansion constructed in a Chinese-courtyard style with Western art-nouveau features belonged to a rich towkay Cheong Fatt Tze during the island's heydays. Cheong Fatt Tze mansion is open for conducted, historical tours at 11.00 am or 3pm daily. Price: RM10 per person The Courtyard bedrooms in the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, have been created to welcome owner-hosted home-stays. The main hall and gardens can be rented for private functions.

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  • Phone: +60 4 2625289
  • Directions: A stonethrow from City Bayview Hotel & The Cititel.
  • Website: http://www.cheongfatttzemansion.com/

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    Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
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  • Updated By pehsan on November 17, 2003
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  • winner of the UNESCO conversation award 2000 - Penang
    winner of the UNESCO
    conversation award 2000
    by pehsan
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    This mansion has 38 rooms, 5 courtyards, 7 staircases and 220 windows. It's unique for its combination of art nouveau stained glass windows, venetian shutters and victorian cast iron work, together with gold-leafed timber lattice work and chinese ceramic shared decorations on roof ridges, gables and verandahs. it was the favourite home of Cheong Fatt Tze (1840-1916), a rags to riches Hakka entrepreneur who become a powerful Nanyang industrialist, a consul-general of China and a first class mandarin. Fully Guided Tours 2 tours daily : 11.00am and 3.00pm Ticket : RM10 per person ( ticket sold inside)

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  • Phone: +60 4 2625289
  • Directions: futher down St. Xavier's Institution and the mansion is on ur left while City Bayview hotel is on ur right.
  • Website: http://www.cheongfatttzemansion.com/

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    Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: One mans pride and joy...the blue mansion
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  • By preadhead on February 13, 2006
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  • Everyone knows the brilliant blue lime paint. - Penang
    Everyone knows the brilliant
    blue lime paint.
    by preadhead, 4 more photos
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    I loved visiting Cheong Fatt Tze's favourite home, which has now been restored and is used as a small hotel. If you get the chance, attend the one hour tour at either 11 am or 3pm each day and pay 10rm and you will be rewarded with a very entertaining and informative tour given by a very theatrical Chinese lady who has nothing but the utmost respect for everything the mansion stands for. The building was designed using Feng Shui principles and is a crazy mix of various turn of the 19 century styles of architecture. Cheong Fatt Tze imported clay floor tiles from Bristol, amazingly colourful Victorian style lead lights from England and he employed master craftsmen from China to carve the intricate woodwork. There are three dimensional scenes on the outsides of the building decorated with shards of broken glazed pottery. The craftsmanship is amazing and has stood the test of time well. I was only able to take photographs of the outside of the building as internal photography is prohibited. The blue lime wash paint is the original colour, but not the original paintwork. If you have the opportunity, this is one tour you should not miss.

  • Phone: +60 4 2625289
  • Directions: Close to start of Penang Road. Taxis available nearby. Enjoy a meander around local streets which are rich with other gems like this. Don't forget to check out 20 Leith Street (opposite), the original kitchen for the mansion.
  • Website: http://www.cheongfatttzemansion.com/

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    Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
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  • By CandS on February 7, 2005
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  • Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion - Penang
    Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
    by CandS
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    The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is very interesting to look at...we didn't get inside but the outside is a gorgeous blue colour... It makes for fantastic photos... :)

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  • Phone: +60 4 2625289
  • Website: http://www.cheongfatttzemansion.com/

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    Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: Chang Fatt Tze Mansion
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  • Updated By hundertmorgen on May 25, 2003
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  • Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion - Penang
    by hundertmorgen
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    Cheong Fatt Tze alias Chang Pi Shih migrated from China to the Dutch Indies and rose from rags to riches to become a capitalist-industrialist with interests in plantations, banking and Penang-Medan shipping. Moving his base of operation to Penang and Singapore, he was appointed a Ching dynasty consul representing the Overseas Chinese. Of his many homes through east Asia, Cheong's favourite was the Penang mansion which boasts 38 rooms, 5 courtyards and 7 staircases. The restoration and adaptive reuse of it was awarded 'Most Excellent Prize', UNESCO Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage Award. Owner-hosted home-stays are now offered.

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  • Phone: 6-04-262 5289
  • Website: www.cheongfatttzemansion.com

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    Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion: Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion~Foremost Restoration
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  • Updated By Audrey118 on July 17, 2003
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  • Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion - Penang
    by Audrey118
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    This is a very unique and lavisly built house, circa 18th century. It belongs to a Chinese of Hakka descendants, called Cheong Fatt Tze. He originated from Tai Pu village in Teochew district of Guandong, China. He came from a large family of labourers and thought that he would be doomed to be in the same situation of his forefathers if he had continued to live in his village. So he set foot to SEAsia and landed himself working odd jobs for a well to do Chinese family in Java, whom he wedded one of his daughters. His business soon propspered from government contracts from the Dutch colony of Indonesia. Noted as One of China's last Mandarins and 1st Capitalists, that his fame saw that on his funeral the Dutch and British flags were flown at half masts throughout their colonies when he died in 1916. He had a unqiue will which bequest much of his will to his son from his favourite wife - the7th wife (you will see her picture near the courtyard - and she was very young when she married him in the 70s) and their son was only 2 years old, and so most of the money was under trust which was later mismanaged. Cheong Fatt Tze built several elaborate homes - some 5 are mentioned but only 2 have survived. The one in Medan, Indonesia still resided by the Cheong family. But the one in Penang is said to be the most interesting. This mansion was built by master craftsmen from China, was constructed over a seven-year period from 1896 to 1904. But in years the dilapidated mansion was acquired about 10 years back and saw massive restoration that Unesco awarded it a national award for conservation in year 2000.

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