the summit of Penang Hill for government servants and army officials. A convalescent bungalow was built in 1803. One of the earliest buildings on Strawberry Hill was a house built by David Brown on land given by Francis Light. Australian historian Marcus Langdon, however, believes Strawberry Hill house was built by William Edward Phillips, who was also the owner of Suffolk House, and not David Brown. The house however burnt down and it was rebuilt in the 19th century, and it was being used as a restaurant as of 2012. The post office was first opened in 1894, and a hotel, the Crag Hotel, owned by the Sarkies Brothers, was established in 1895 and sold in the 1920s; operational until it was closed in World War II. The building became a boarding school The International School of Penang (Uplands) from 1955 till 1977. The first police station was built in 1929, and the building is still standing here on the same site. In the early days the only way to the top of hill was to travel on foot or horseback, or be carried on a dooly (sedan chair). The first attempt at a mountain railway on Penang Hill began in 1897 but it proved unsuccessful; it was built between 1901 and 1905 but had technical faults. The Straits government then organised a new project to construct the Penang Hill Funicular Railway at a cost of 1.5 million Straits dollars. The railway was first opened to the public on 21 October 1923 and officially opened on 1 January 1924. The funicular railway led to a sharp increase in residential development as it became a location for the building of holiday villas and bungalows by Europeans and wealthy local Chinese towkays alike. It also led to its development into a major tourist destination in Penang. It received well over a million visitors a year by 2012. A major revamp at Penang Hill was initiated in 2010. The railway was overhauled, allowing for faster access to the hill, and facilities for visitors, walkways and viewing decks were constructed. Geography Topography Penang Hill is mainly a hilly granitic mass. The hill system is higher towards the northern part with its highest point at Western Hill, at an elevation of above sea level. Other than Western Hill, there are a number of peaks in the region, such as Bukit Laksamana (Malay for Admiral Hill),