Ipoh City Hall

If you come to Ipoh, one of the heritage buildings that you will definitely not miss is the City Hall (formerly Town hall). Looking at the building alone will give you an impression that you are in a European country. In fact this building is also an important land mark of Ipoh which lies within the colonial district of Ipoh.

Located at Club Road (Jalan Dato Panglima Bukit Gantang Wahab), this stately colonial building with strong classical element known as the Classical Revival Architecture was designed by government architect, A.B Hubback, who also designed the Railway Station.

However, it is without any of the Ipoh Railway Station’s Mogul features.

 

Many are unaware that the back portion housed the former Post Office. Two different building but unified by a heavy plaster grooves on the lower floor, these two are most prominent civic buildings in Ipoh.

 

The post office occupied the eastern part of the building, with its entrance from Post Office Road. The Post and Telegraphs Department moved from Taiping to Ipoh in 1928.

 

From 1948, the Town Hall served as the District Police Headquarters for several years. Construction of the Town Hall and Post Office began in 1914 but the shortage of materials and high costs of labour caused by World War I delayed its completion until 1916. The contractor was Lim Weng Ching.

 

Did you know?

 

A tunnel was found at the bottom of City Hall? In December 2008, The Star Ipoh city council worker stumbled upon the tunnel when he was working at the town hall in the 1960s, adding that the tunnel was linked to the reported that a retired Ipoh High Court.
 

A former High Court judge once informed that tunnel was used to transfer prisoners to the High Court instead of being brought in from the front gates.