The Old Colonial Centre of Singapore
For nearly one-and-a-half centuries Singapore was overseen as a British Crown Colony. A large element in the colonial development was the construction of Singapore's international trading port under the supervision of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, which added to the architectural mix of the colony. The typical buildings of the port were so-called shop-houses, low-rise buildings which combined the functions of both warehouse and mansion houses; alongside which we find Malaysian houses, Chinese pagodas, Hindu shrines, mosques, all rubbing shoulders with the latest ultra-modern skyscrapers.
Singapore is a parliamentary republic. The country’s first constitution, after it formally separated from Malaysia, came into force on 9th August 1965. Since that day Singaporeans celebrate Independence Day on 9th August each year. The new building where Parliament sits was built in 1999.
The former Parliament building is adjacent and now houses an Art Museum.
The Second World War and its accompanying Japanese Occupation has left a tragic scar on Singapore’s history – most especially because of the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians which ensued. One symbol of these events is the Civilian War Memorial to Victims of the Occupation, which was unveiled in 1967.
Singapore’s many bridges over the Singapore River are a real attraction. The Cavenagh Bridge, a suspension bridge, was one of the first – built in 1869.
There are a number of bronze artworks along the streets, which show scenes of Old Singapore.
There are two different shrines to be found next to each other along Waterloo Street – the Hindu shrine of Sri Krishnan, and the Buddhist temple of Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho. Chinese Buddhists worship Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy (a female incarnation of Avlokitshvari) while Hindus worship Krishna on the same street. It all makes a perfect example of Singapore’s religious tolerance.
“Chijmes”
“Chijmes” is the name Singaporeans give to the former Catholic Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, which was sanctified here in 1852. The convent included a Girl’s School, an Orphanage, and the Convent Church, which was built later here in the neo-Gothic style in 1902. After very extensive rebuilding, the former buildings of the Convent have today provide a quaint setting for numerous restaurants and shops.
Fort Canning Park
The green hill which we find rising up in the central part of the city is a popular place for a stroll along its winding paths and around the adjoining city reservoir. It was on this hill that Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles built his first Residence – and later laid out the first Botanical Gardens in Singapore. There are different surviving defensive structures here to this day, from various periods – and in the area of archaeological excavations, the grave of the last Malay ruler of the island.
The Armenian Church
The first Christian church built in Singapore was the Armenian Church, consecrated in 1836.
In the former shop-houses and warehouses along Boat Quay embankment, today we find restaurants offering many different cuisines – which provide a magnet for tourists.
The former General Post Office building, built in 1919, was reopened in 2001 after major reconstruction and is now the luxurious 5* Fullerton Hotel.
The Raffles Hotel is one of the symbols of Singapore, and a national monument. It has been welcoming celebrities and VIPs for over 120 years.
You should definitely try a Singapore Sling cocktail if you visit the hotel’s Long Bar. The cocktail is a celebrated national Singaporean tradition that was invented in this bar, over a hundred years ago.
The old and new buildings of the Supreme Court. The classical dome of the old Supreme Court, alongside Norman Foster’s ‘flying saucer’ symbolise the evolution of Singapore’s architecture.
