Singapore River
The Singapore River, which cuts through the heart of the city,
was for many decades the main artery of trade and commerce for the British. Today, the stately Victorian and neo-classical
Roman structures still stand proudly along the river banks, but
they jostle for space with the many concrete-and-glass skyscrapers
that have shot up in more modern times.
The best way to view many of the buildings, statues, monuments
and museums that Singapore has inherited from its colonial past
is to take a walk along the Singapore River, or a river-boat
tour that starts at Clarke Quay. This half-hour tour costs
SGD9 per adult and SGD4 per child, and leaves at 9 am and 11 pm
daily. You will be brought along the Singapore River on an old bum-boat, the kind that used to navigate up and down the
river in colonial times.
Most of the colonial buildings and monuments are on the north
side of the river, the central Business District and its plethora
of skyscrapers occupying the southern bank. Many of them are clustered
around the City Hall and Raffles Place MRTs, so if you're taking
a walk just exit from these stations.
At the mouth of the Singapore River stands a statue of the Merlion,
a half-lion, half-fish mythical beast that has come to symbolise
Singapore. The Merlion, which spouts water from its mouth, has
a (much larger) cousin in Sentosa Island.
Heading upriver, you will see the historic Anderson and Cavenagh Bridges. Cavenagh Bridge, built in 1869 and now
for pedestrians only, leads to Empress Place, which was
named in honour of Queen Victoria. At Empress Place, you will
find the elegant Victoria Concert Hall, where classical
concerts by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra are held regularly.
There's also a cosy cafe here that's open throughout the
day and serves good ol' Brit fare like fish and chips and chicken
chops, besides local spring rolls and curry puffs. Next to the
concert hall is Victoria Theatre, where local and foreign
plays are a regular feature. Outside the theatre is a dark bronze
cast statue of Stamford Raffles, officially unveiled in
1887.
The imposing Empress Place building, built in1865, was
once a court house and is now being refurbished to house the Second
Wing of the Asian Civilisations Museum. Nearby, next to
the river, is the spot where Raffles landed in Singapore. This
event is commemorated by a another statue of Raffles, this
time in white marble and built in 1972, set at the site where
he first set foot on the island.
Hugging the sides of the river are Boat Quay and Clarke
Quay, which have experienced a renaissance in recent years.
But while they were formerly streets teeming with sailors and
coolies loaded with ships' cargo, today, the many godowns and shophouses that line the river have been renovated into trendy restaurants and bars. Read more about these in our food
and dining section.
The Padang
The Padang, which means simply "field" in Malay, was the recreational
centrepiece of colonial life. The old colonial civic district
of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has a similar landmark.
This open grass field was where the more sports-inclined British
played a round of cricket, or where people took a nice stroll
in the evenings. The Singapore Cricket Club still exists
today, and its members can still be seen playing cricket at the
Padang on weekends.
Today, the Padang becomes the focus of the whole nation's attention
on August 9 - Singapore's National Day, when it became
independent from Malaysia. An annual parade of soldiers, the navy,
civil servants and students normally ends at this historic venue.
Parliament House
Next to Empress Place is Parliament House, Singapore's oldest government building. It was originally a two-storey private mansion, known as Court House, built and designed
by the colonial architect George Coleman in 1827.
Later used as the Assembly House of the colonial government, today,
it houses today the Republic of Singapore's parliament.
A bronze elephant statue, a gift from King Chulalongkorn
of Siam in 1871, stands in front of the building.
Supreme Court & City Hall
The Supreme Court building, built in 1939, was one of the last
colonial buildings to be constructed in the civic district area.
Its handsome Corinthian columns boast murals by Italian
artist Cavaliere Rodolfo Nolli. You can pick up a "Guide to the
Supreme Court", as well as watch a mulitmedia presentation on the Singapore judiciary system and view the Supreme Court Open
House and Exhibition.
Next to the Supreme Court, an impressive flight of steps leads
up to the City Hall. This is where the Japanese officially
surrendered, at the end of World War II.
Raffles Hotel
Mention colonial Singapore and many people conjure up the stately,
ever-so-English atmosphere of Raffles Hotel (1, Beach Road,
tel: 337-1886). The hotel was built in 1887 by the Sarkies brothers, who also built the famous Strand hotel in Yangon, Myanmar,
and the E&O hotel in Penang, Malaysia.
The Raffles, as it is commonly known, has featured in the works
of writers such as Somerset Maugham and Joseph Conrad. Rudyard Kipling encouraged people to eat there. In a famous
short story by Maugham, a tiger finds its way into the Bar
& Billard Room and crouches under one of the billard tables.
The Raffles underwent extensive renovations to re-emerge again
in 1991, swankier and spiffier than ever. Lush tropical plants
and fountains grace its courtyards, and the hotel itself houses
several restaurants, bars, a theatre and a shopping arcade. High
tea at the Tiffin Room is a must for the chic traveller,
while the Bar & Billard Room will serve you a buffet brunch of
foie gras, crepe suzettes and other delights on Sundays.
The Long Bar, with its relaxed planters ambience, is the
birthplace of the legendary Singapore Sling, concocted by Ngiam
Tong Boon in 1915. The grand Jubilee Hall, meanwhile, holds
regular concerts and plays. The Raffles Hotel Museum, on
the third floor, displays interesting information and artifacts
from the hotel's past.
Meanwhile, for those wishing to try their hand at haute cuisine,
there are courses available at the Raffles Culinary Academy,
while the Raffles Shopping Arcade features many upmarket shops,
including one selling Raffles memorabilia.
Raffles Place
Raffles Place and its environs, situated right outside the entrance
of Raffles Place MRT, are now occupied by skyscrapers such as
the UOB Plaza and OUB Building. It is Singapore's business and
financial centre, and is often known as the Central Business District.
From the viewing room on the 28th floor of UOB Plaza One,
which is open to the public, you can get a spectacular view of
Singapore River, the civic district and its colonial structures
and Boat Quay.
Still there are some reminders left from when Singapore was a
bustling colonial outpost. Change Alley was the street
where Indian money changers ran their businesses; today the Alley
is tucked inside OUB Building but you can still change your foreign
currencies and travellers cheques here.
Further south along the waterfront is Lau Pa Sat, a Victorian-styled
cast-iron structure that used to house a wet market. Now, it's
a lively hawker centre with stalls that sell arts and crafts and
show cultural performances.
Fort Canning
Behind the Singapore History Museum at Stamford Road, situated
on top of a hill, is Fort Canning. You can get into Fort
Canning via several accesses - the Park Mall underpass, the National
Library underpass, the Hill Street Food Centre and the River Valley
Swimming Complex.
Besides being a welcome respite of quiet greenery in the city,
it is also a historic area. In ancient times, Fort Canning Hill
was known as Forbidden Hill, and archeologists have found
Javanese artifacts dating from the 14th century, when Singapore
was part of the Majapahit empire. The hill, sacred to the Malays,
also contains the shrine of Sultan Iskandar Shah, the last
monarch of the old kingdom of Singapura.
When Stamford Raffles came to Singapore, he built his bungalow
- later known as Government House - on top of the hill.
The British army, between 1859 and 1861, built an arms store,
barracks and hospitals, and the buildings became known as Fort
Canning. Today, only ruins of the fort are left, along with several
well-preserved underground tunnels.
The fort is surrounded by a quiet park which also holds
an old Christian cemetery. The short but heartfelt inscriptions
on the tombstones give a compelling, even touching, glimpse of
Singapore's early colonial settlers.
These days, Fort Canning is a common venue for outdoor arts events. Ballet Under the Stars is a regular feature, while many
of Singapore's young dramatists have made clever use of the historic
ruins as a backdrop for their plays. The Singapore Drama Centre is situated at the bottom of the hill, while the Singapore
Dance Theatre is found in Fort Canning Centre at the summit.
In recent years, Fort Canning has become the site for the highly
popular Womad, an annual event featuring World Music performers
from all over the globe.
You will also found the Battle Box, situated inside what
used to be the largest underground military operations complex
in Singapore. The complex was part of the Malaya Command Headquarters
during World War II. The Battle Box reenacts, with the aid of
video and sound effects, animatronics and figurines the fateful
day on February 15, 1942 that British officers decided to surrender
Singapore to the Japanese.
The Battle Box is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to
6 pm Last admission is at 5 PM Admission is SGD8 for adults and
SGD5 for children of 12 years and below.
Kranji War Memorial
The Kranji War Memorial (9, Woodlands Road 22km), which is
situated far away from the city centre in the northern area of
Singapore, is where thousands of the Allied soldiers who died
in Southeast Asia in World War II are buried. A register of the
names of the soldiers who participated in the war is available
for inspection. Singapore's presidents are also buried at Kranji.
There is no admission charge. |
