Here's What You May Not Know About Malaysia's 'Leaning Tower Of Pisa'
No need to travel to Italy.
By Tiffany Tay — 06 Apr 2021, 06:31 PM
This is the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan, a Chinese-style clock tower that was built in the 19th century during the colonial era
Formerly known as Teluk Anson in Perak, the brick-and-wood building is slightly slanted northwest, making it the Malaysian equivalent of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy.
The pagoda design was heavily inspired by Chinese architecture, as the majority of townsfolk at that time was Chinese
The tower was built in 1885 by Chinese contractor Leong Choon Chong, and local residents had contributed to buy the clock from JW Benson of Ludgatehill, London.
Although the 25.5m tower looks like an eight-storey building from the outside, it is actually divided into three storeys, with a large steel water tank at the topmost level. Each storey is roughly 5m high, and there are a total of 110 curved steps leading from the ground to the top floor.
After the flood in 1889 and 1895, it began leaning over due to soft soil foundations
Besides that, the weight of the water in the tank also contributed to its slant. However, it is not in any danger of falling over.
The clock tower once functioned to store water for local usage during the drought seasons, and was a reservoir in case of a fire
It was also a beacon to guide ships into Teluk Intan Port. During the Japanese occupation of Malaya in 1941, the Japanese used it as a watch tower.
After Malaysia's Independence in 1957, the tower became an official national monument, and no longer stores water. Today, the clock still chimes at 15-minute intervals.
It is now an icon of Teluk Intan, and serves as a popular tourist attraction
You can visit it for free, and take a photo with a full view of the tower in all its majesty. Stop by at night to see it lit up in colourful lights.
Opening hours:
8am - 5pm (Mondays - Fridays)
9am - 6pm (Saturdays - Sundays)
Address:
Lot 1 & 2, Komplex Menara Condong,
Jalan Bandar, Pekan Teluk Intan,
36000 Teluk Intan, Perak
