neighbourhood
A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; American and British English spelling differences, see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community ...
within the
downtown core
The Downtown Core is the historical and downtown centre of the city-state of Singapore and the main commercial area in Singapore excluding reclaimed lands with many integrated resorts such as the Marina Bay Sands, one of the most expensive buildi ...
Malaysian state
The states and federal territories of Malaysia are the principal administrative divisions of Malaysia. Malaysia is a federation of 13 states (''Negeri'') and 3 federal territories (''Wilayah Persekutuan'').
States and federal territories
Ele ...
of Penang. Located within the city centre, it is bounded by College Avenue to the west and Leandro's Lane to the east.
The neighbourhood was formerly inhabited by ethnic Eurasians, who had moved into the area as early as the 19th century. However, most of the original Eurasian residents had since relocated to other areas in the city, following the redevelopment of Kampong Serani into a modern neighbourhood in the late 1990s. Despite the urbanisation, the neighbourhood still retains some of its Eurasian characteristics and is home to the Penang Eurasian Association.
Etymology
Kampong Serani in
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
is a direct translation of the settlement's English name, ''Eurasian Village''.
History
The second batch of Eurasian settlers, which came after the first batch that had arrived in 1786 with Captain Francis Light, were fleeing religious persecution in
Siam
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
, They arrived at
Pulau Tikus
Pulau Tikus is a northwestern suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Situated between the city centre and Tanjung Tokong, this upper class suburb was named after a rock just off the coast of Penang Island. It is home to small minorities of ...
in 1811 and chose to build their settlement, named ''Kampong Serani'', within the area. As the Eurasians were predominantly Catholic, the settlement was centred around the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Adjacent to the church was
College General
The College General ( ms, Seminari Tinggi Katolik) is a Roman Catholic interdiocesan seminary located in Tanjung Bungah, Penang, Malaysia. The college's foundation can be traced back to the 1665 establishment of the Seminary of Saint Joseph in A ...
, a Catholic seminary which had been relocated to the settlement in 1808.
Towards the end of the 20th century, Kampong Serani was earmarked for redevelopment, drawing objections and protests by the Eurasian community. Eventually the settlement was completely bulldozed by 1994; commercial complexes and condominiums now stand at the site of the former Eurasian settlement. However, the street names within the neighbourhood, such as Leandro's Lane and College Lane, still bear Eurasian and Catholic influences, while the Penang Eurasian Association remains based at the area.
Transportation
Kampong Serani is served by
Rapid Penang
Rapid Penang (styled as ''rapidPenang'') is a public bus brand in the Penang, State of Penang, Malaysia. Formed as a subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia in 2007, to date it is the main public transport operator within Penang; its bus network serves ...
's bus routes 101, 102, 104 and 304, as well as the free-of-charge Pulau Tikus Loop (PTL) and the Congestion Alleviation Transport (CAT) Tanjung Tokong route. These routes link Kampong Serani with various destinations within the city including the
Penang International Airport
Penang International Airport is an airport in northern Malaysia. The airport is located near Bayan Lepas at the southeastern tip of Penang Island, south of the city centre.Queensbay Mall,
Batu Ferringhi
Batu Ferringhi is a suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Located along the northern coast of Penang Island and about northwest of the city centre, it is the prime beach destination in Penang among locals and tourists. To cater to the inf ...
and
Teluk Bahang
Teluk Bahang is a town within the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, near the northwestern tip of Penang Island. Established as a fishing village, Teluk Bahang has evo ...
.
Education
Kampong Serani is home to Convent Pulau Tikus and its primary branch, SRK Convent Pulau Tikus. The all-girls' school was established in 1922, before being relocated to its present-day grounds in 1950.
Pulau Tikus
Pulau Tikus is a northwestern suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Situated between the city centre and Tanjung Tokong, this upper class suburb was named after a rock just off the coast of Penang Island. It is home to small minorities of ...
*
Ayer Rajah
One-north (stylized as one-north) is a subzone of Queenstown, Singapore, first developed by JTC Corporation as the country's research and development and high technology cluster. It was first conceptualised in 1991 as part of the National Te ...