Through the streets of George Town: Armenian Street
SOMEHOW heritage became an unquestionable value in itself in the everyday life of George Town ever since its Unesco World Heritage listing, and often there is no further attempt to conceptualise what exactly is “inherited”. By global standards, the city is young compared to places like Varanasi, Rome or Istanbul, but its 200 years of history which have united the narratives of colonialism, global migration, capitalism and cultural transformation is certainly an attractive one.
George Town is very much a living city and there are so many paths that it can choose. Singapore reinvented itself as a financial hub, a city of clean pavements and high rises; legalised prostitution and now, has a highly successful casino. Malacca is rediscovering its charm as a heritage city, unfolding its numerous layers of history. This is, however, a dangerous path, and the most famous historical towns in the world including Venice and Florence are nothing more than enormous museums. So far Penang is balancing its heritage and full economic potential; but once fused together those two elements could result in an explosive revival as has happened with Barcelona and Seattle.
