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Attraction:
Colonial Singapore
Empress Place
A spectacular Victorian edifice
built in 1854. Empress Place was later reconstructed in
extension of various departments such as museum, government
offices, exhibition center, theatre, and concert hall which have
become the remarkable sightseeing attractions nowadays.
Raffles Statue
Raffles wrote himself a heroic
role for Singapore when he came to rearrange and organize the
small island to be a well-known trading center commenced from
1819. Since then Singapore shone so bright with prosperity in
every aspect. Due to his achievement, the dark bronze statue of
his figure was set in the middle of Padang in 1887. The statue
was created in Raffles's meditative pose with arms folded. But
in 1919, it was moved to the Empress Place. There is another
white statue of Raffles built in 1972 and is based on the banks
of the Singapore River where he first landed. This second statue
was painted white in order to avoid the misunderstanding that
Raffles wasn't Caucasian.
Victoria Theatre and Concert
Hall
These two building are linked
with each other while the clock tower stands in their between.
The left building was constructed in 1862; subsequently, it was
merged by the Queen Victoria Memorial Hall as of the occasion of
the Queen Victoria's death in 1901. After the downfall of
Japanese occupation in 1945, the building was again altered to
an art gallery and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. The
building was built under the classical and Renaissance figures,
adjoined by the clock tower that neutralizes the overall
balance. It stands as a focal point for visitors nowadays.
Location of Victoria Concert
Hall:
11 Empress Place
Victoria Memorial Hall
Singapore 179558
Tel number of Victoria Concert
Hall: 338-1230 &
336-6382
Location of Victoria Theatre:
9
Empress Place
Singapore 179556
Tel number of Victoria Theatre:
338-8283 &
339-5440
Empress Place Museum
This spectacular Empress Place
was constructed in 1854 as the East India Company Court House.
The building was designed by Major McNair in the neoclassical
style, which later became as headquarters for the Secretariat,
Treasury, Education Department, Registry of Citizenship, and
Immigration Department.
In 1986, the building was
altered to the principle place for architectural-conversation
project. But today, the second floor has been turned into a
small museum exhibiting arts that depict ancient civilizations,
including historical and cultural exhibition from China. While
the first floor exhibits local arts and provides the
conversation between visitors and artists who occasionally visit
the museum. Besides, there are handicrafts shops and café sited
in the building.
Tel: 336-7633
Open Hours: Daily 09.00 - 18.30
The Dalhousie Memorial
This white obelisk was built in
commemoration to the second visit of British governor-general
Dalhousie in February 1850. It was even built before the statue
of Sir Stamford Raffles for 37 years; so to speak, this obelisk
was the first public monument in Singapore.
The purpose of Dalhousie's
visit was somehow considered by the locals as to defend free
trade while he himself came here for considering the reduction
of administrative expenditure. Some locals opined that this
obelisk shouldn't have been constructed at all. Anyway,
Dalhousie left negative impression in Singapore yet the obelisk
is there still in Empress Place, which has been moved from
Dalhousie Pier in 1891.
Time Capsule
Down by the riverside there
stood by a new-fashioned capsule which was sealed by Mr. Yeo
Cheow Tong, Minister for Communications and Information
Technology on 31st December 1999. It is scheduled to be opened
in January 2050 in the occasion of Singapore becoming a
self-independent nation.
Cavenagh Bridge
Cavenagh Bridge was built in
1868 and named after Sir William Cavenagh, the last
India-appointed Governor of Singapore. The object of building
this bridge was mainly to link Commercial Square with the
government quarter and cease public dissatisfaction over
deficient ferry service. But after Anderson Bridge was built in
1909, Cavenagh then became just a pedestrian bridge.
The Merlion
This official Singapore's
mascot was created by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board in
1964 in which its structure does clearly depict a fish's body
and a lion's head. Fish in this case can be interpreted as the
connection with the sea for Singapore is a center of shipping
trade, while lion can be traced back with the discovery of
Palembang prince who found a creature that looks like lion
hidden in the jungle.
Parliament House
The current Parliament House,
previously known as the Court House built in 1827 by the
Temengong of Singapore and his lads. Subsequently, Raffles
demanded Temengong to move it to the new location (today's the
opposite side of World Trade Center), unfortunately, a wealthy
merchant named John Maxwell had already owned the land with the
permit issued by John Crawford. After that, Maxwell required
George Coleman to build a mansion on this land. When the
building was completely constructed, Maxwell surprised Raffles
by leasing it to the government instead of moving in the mansion
as his residence. However, Maxwell's place had been served as
the Singapore Court House until the establishment of the new
Supreme Court was done in 1939. Anyway, it was reconstructed
again in 1989.
All Attractions in Colonial
Singapore
Empress Place
| The
Padang |
The
Esplanade | Around
the Raffles | Around Bugis Street
| City
Center | Fort
Canning | Marina
Center
This article is authored and
copyrighted by
Royal Exclusive Travel
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