Acheen Street Mosque

Acheen Street Mosque

The Acheen Street mosque (locally called ‘Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh’ or ‘Malay Mosque’) located on the southern end of Georgetown on Lebuh Acheh, is the oldest extant mosque in Penang and one of the most statuesque in Malaysia. The mosque and trust lands were endowed in 1808 by Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Idid, who became the Sultan of Aceh. Sheikh Omar Basheer, the famous 19th century Naqshabandi Sufi leader, lived at No. 69 Lebuh Aceh in the mosque compound.

The Acheen Street Mosque architecture incorporates and reflects the various communities of Penang – Achehnese, Anglo-Indian and Chinese. The influence of the latter is clearly seen in the pagodaesque octahedral minaret. The octadic form of the minaret is repeated in the inner and outer columns which flank the prayer aisles. Other interesting architectural features include the swallow-tailed roof, fanlights and well.

A unique tradition of George Town Muslims is that the Friday prayers take turns between the Acheen Street Mosque and the Kapitan Keling Mosque.

Visitors are welcome into the Acheen Street Mosque grounds but do remember these things before you enter the mosque building.

Location: Masjid Lebuh Aceh, Acheen Street