3460 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Chinatown

3460 Old shop houses in the heart of Chinatown and towering skyscrapers
in the central business district at the background.

Chinese Singaporeans constituted 76.2% of the country's citizens, making them the largest ethnic group in Singapore. Outside Greater China, Singapore is the only country in the world where people of Chinese descent constitute a majority of the population and are well represented in all levels of Singaporean society, politically and economically. Located within the Outram district in the Central Area, Chinatown is considerably less of an enclave than it once was. However, the precinct does retain significant historical and cultural significance.

3458 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Boat Quay on Singapore River

3458 Boat Quay on Singapore River with OCBC Centre in background

The Singapore River is approximately 3.2 kilometers long, runs parallel to Alexandra Road, through Singapore's central business district, and feeds into the Marina Reservoir in the southern part of the city. At one time, Singapore River was the very lifeblood of the colony, the trade artery, the center of commercial activity, the heart of entrepot trade, and the vessel of importance. Some parts of this area include quays such as Boat Quay, situated upstream from the mouth of the river.

0019, 3441, 3449 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Raffles Place

0019 Raffles Place in Singapore - Merlion, Fullerton Hotel,
and skyscrapers in the business centre (1)

Located in the Downtown Core within the Central Area, Raffles Place is the centre of the Financial District of Singapore and is located south of the mouth of the Singapore River. It was first planned and developed in the 1820s as Commercial Square to serve as the hub of the commercial zone of Singapore in Raffles Town Plan. It was renamed Raffles Place in 1858 and now features some of the tallest buildings and landmarks of the country.

3441 Raffles Place in Singapore by night

The Merlion statue (8.6m hight), made by Lim Nang Seng in 1972, was placed in Merlion Park. Designed by Fraser Brunner in 1964 for the logo of the Singapore Tourism Board, this symbol of Singapore is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. The body of the statue is made of cement, skin from porcelain plates and eyes from red teacups.

3449 Raffles Place in Singapore - Merlion, Fullerton Hotel,

and skyscrapers in the business centre (2)

The highest six buildings that are visible in the back in the postcard 0019 are, from left to right: Hitachi Tower (179m - completed in 1992), Republic Plaza (280m - completed in 1995), Singapore Land Tower (190m - completed in 1980), One Raffles Place (280m - completed in 1986), Maybank Tower (175m - completed in 2001), and United Overseas Bank Plaza / UOB Plaza (280m - completed in 1995).

0071, 3447 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Fullerton Hotel and Cavenagh Bridge

3447 Fullerton Hotel in broad daylight

Named after Robert Fullerton, the first Governor of the Straits Settlements (1826–1829), the Fullerton Hotel, whose the northern end covers the site of Fort Fullerton was commissioned in 1919 as part of the Crown colony's centennial celebrations. The building was designed as an office building by Major P.H. Keys, and was opened in 1928. Initially, General Post Office covered the two lower floors (until 1996), and the exclusive Singapore Club rented premises on the upper floors (until 1961).

0071 Fullerton Hotel and Cavenagh Bridge by night

 

In the WWII the building was the one in which General Percival discussed with Sir Shenton the possibility of surrendering Singapore, and subsequently became the headquarters of the Japanese Military Administration. In 1997, Sino Land (Hong Kong) Company Ltd acquired the Fullerton Building and converted it into a five-star luxury hotel, officially opened in 2001. Its architecture follow the principals of 20th-century Beaux-Arts tradition of classicism. Relating to the design, it is largely Monumental and Ornamental.

3433 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Sri Mariamman Temple

The Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple. It is an agamic temple, built in the Dravidian style. Mariamman is a rural South Indian mother goddess who is especially worshipped for protection against diseases. Located in the downtown Chinatown district, the temple serves the majority Hindu Singaporeans, Tamilians, in the city-state. It was founded in 1827 by Naraina Pillai, eight years after the East India Company established a trading settlement in Singapore.

3361 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Clarke Quay

Clarke Quay is a historical riverside quay in Singapore, located within the Singapore River Planning Area, upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River and Boat Quay. It was named after Sir Andrew Clarke, Singapore's second Governor and Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1873 to 1875, who played a key role in positioning Singapore as the main port for the Malay states of Perak, Selangor and Sungei Ujong. Clarke Quay is also the name of a road along the quay, part of which has since been converted into a pedestrian mall.

3203 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Haw Par Villa

A diorama from Haw Par Villa - The spider spirits in the form
of beautiful women; they kidnapped the monks and forced him
to make love with them.

Haw Par Villa is a theme park which contains over 1,000 statues and 150 giant dioramas depicting scenes from Chinese mythology, folklore, legends, history, and illustrations of various aspects of Confucianism. Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, it was built in 1937 by the Burmese-Chinese brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par, the developers of Tiger Balm, as a venue for teaching traditional Chinese values. They moved their business from Burma to Singapore in 1926 and purchased the site in 1935.

3185 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Located in the Chinatown district of Singapore, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum is based on the Tang dynasty architectural style and built to house the tooth relic of the historical Buddha. The ground breaking ceremony was conducted on 13 March 2005. It is claimed that the relic of Buddha from which it gains its name was found in 1980 in a collapsed stupa in Myanmar. The relic is housed in a giant stupa weighing a whopping 3500kg and made from 320kg of gold, of which 234kg were donated by devotees.

1851, 3174 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Fort Canning

3174 The Gate of Fort Canning

 

Between 1859 and 1861, a fort was build on a small hill located in the southeast portion of Singapore, to defend the harbour. It was named Fort Canning after Viscount Charles John Canning, who was then Governor-General and the first Viceroy of India. The fortifications were regarded as a failure from the beginning, as ships could easily get close enough to destroy the town and remain out of range of the fort’s guns. Moreover the lack of a water supply rendered the fort useless as a place of refuge.

1851 Lt. General Arthur Percival (General Officer Commanding
of the British land forces in Malaya and Singapore) and
another British Officer in Battle Box

In 1907, the old fort was demolished, and in 1920's a military headquarters was built with underground rooms serving as operations centre. Completed in 1938, the Battle Box comprised 30 rooms and had its own generator. By 1941, it was considered to be too small for its intended use, and a new Combined Operations Headquarters was build. The Battle Box remained the Headquarters of Major General  Frank Keith Simmons, who was responsible for the defence of Singapore Island.

3145 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Van Kleef Aquarium

Van Kleef Aquarium was an oceanarium located in Fort Canning Park facing River Valley Road, opened in 1955 and demolished in 1998. It was named after Karl Willem Benjamin Van Kleef, a Dutch residend in Singapore in the 19th and early 20th century, who donated his fortune to the Singaporean government to build the aquarium after his death. When the aquarium opened it contained 6,500 marine creatures of 180 different species.

3054 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Singapore Sling

Raffles Hotel is a colonial-style luxury hotel in Singapore, established by Armenian hoteliers, the Sarkies Brothers, in 1887, and named after British statesman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore. Initial only a ten-room hotel, in proximity to the beach, it has expanded over time, and in 1899 a new main building was constructed, designed by architect Regent Alfred John Bidwell of Swan and Maclaren, which also expanded over the years.

3047 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Sultan Mosque

Masjid Sultan, or Sultan Mosque, is the principal place of Islamic worship in Singapore, located at Muscat Street and North Bridge Road within the Kampong Glam precinct of the district of Rochor. Built between 1924 and 1928 by the architect Denis Santry of Swan and Maclaren, who adopted a Saracenic style, it has stayed essentially unchanged since then, with only repairs carried out to the main hall in the 1960s and an annex added in 1993.

0974, 2388, 3042 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Gardens by the Bay

2388 Gardens by the Bay - Aerial view

Gardens by the Bay is a park found on reclaimed land in central Singapore, adjacent to the Marina Reservoir, which consists of three waterfront gardens: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden. It is an integral part of a strategy to transform Singapore from a "Garden City" to a "City in a Garden". The final construction cost for the project, not including the price of the land but including an access road, drainage works, and soil improvement, will be within a $1.035 billion allocated budget.

0974 Gardens by the Bay - The Supertree Grove

Supertrees are tree-like structures that dominate the Gardens' landscape with heights that range between 25m and 50m. Actually they are vertical gardens that perform a multitude of functions, which include planting, shading and working as environmental engines for the gardens. They are fitted with environmental technologies that mimic the ecological function of trees - photovoltaic cells that harness solar energy, just like how trees photosynthesize; and collection of rainwater, exactly like how trees absorb rainwater for growth.

3042 Gardens by the Bay - Panoramic view (310x105mm)

Over 162,900 plants comprising more than 200 species and varieties of bromeliads, orchids, ferns and tropical flowering climbers are planted on the Supertrees. There is an elevated walkway, the OCBC Skyway, between two of the larger Supertrees for visitors to enjoy a breathtaking aerial view of the Gardens. A food and beverage outlet is planned atop the 50m Supertree. At night, the Supertrees come alive with a light and music show called the OCBC Garden Rhapsody.

2984 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Singapore Philatelic Museum

Housed in a building designed as an additional school building to Anglo-Chinese School (Oldham Hall) in 1906, the Singapore Philatelic Museum features postage stamps and related material from Singapore and other countries from the 1830s to present day. Presented in colourful, cosy and interactive exhibitions, the miniature pieces of art offer a window into Singapore and other parts of the world - with postage stamps featuring different aspects of history, culture, science and technology. The Singapore Philatelic Museum also houses the only operational colonial posting box in Singapore.

2857 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Singapore Botanic Gardens (UNESCO WHS)

Situated at the heart of the city of Singapore, the Botanic Gardens demonstrates the evolution of a British tropical colonial botanic garden that has become a modern world-class scientific institution used for both conservation and education. It was founded in 1859 by an agri-horticultural society, and played a pivotal role in the region's rubber trade boom in the early 20th century. By perfecting the technique of rubber extraction, still in use today, and promoting its economic value, rubber output expanded rapidly. At its height in the 1920s, the Malayan peninsula cornered half of the global latex production.

2544 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - The city in about 1925

2544 Robinson Road in Singapore in about 1925

Named after Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson, Governor of the Straits Settlements in 1877-1879, Robinson Road is a major trunk road in Singapore's central business district. It was once a sea-side thoroughfare until land reclamation works in Telok Ayer Basin shifted the shoreline further east to make room for the building of Shenton Way, opened in 1951. Cross Street starts from Shenton Way and ends at the junction with South Bridge Road in Chinatown. Of course that  before the construction of Shenton Way, it started from Robinson Road.

2473 SINGAPORE - Vanda 'Miss Joaquim', Singapore's national flower

Vanda 'Miss Joaquim', also known as the Singapore Orchid and the Princess Aloha Orchid, is Singapore's national flower. For its resilence and year round blooming quality, it was chosen on 15 April 1981 to represent Singapore's uniqueness and hybrid culture. Ashkhen Hovakimian (Agnes Joaquim) (1854-1899), a Singaporean woman of Armenian descent, bred this orchid, the world's first cultivated orchid hybrid.

2430 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Marina Bay Sands

2430 Marina Bay Sands by night

Opened in 2010, Marina Bay Sands is billed as the world's most expensive standalone casino property. Fronting Marina Bay in Singapore, the resort was designed by Moshe Safdie, who says it was initially inspired by card decks. In addition to the casino, other key components of the plan are three hotel towers with 2,500 rooms and suites, an ArtScience Museum and a convention centre. The complex is topped by a 340m-long SkyPark and a 150m infinity swimming pool, set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered platform, which overhangs the north tower by 67m.

0759, 2364 SINGAPORE (Central Region) - Marina Bay

2364 Marina Bay seen from The Promontory,
with Marina Bay Sands on the right

Marina Bay is located in the Central Area of Singapore surrounded by the perimeter of four other planning areas, the Downtown Core, Marina East, Marina South and Straits View. The area surrounding the bay itself, also called Marina Bay, is an extension to the adjacent Central Business District. It is also the new downtown of Singapore built on reclaimed land. Famous landmark iconic buildings include the Marina Bay Sands, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Asia Square, The Sail@Marina Bay and Marina One integrated mixed-use developments.

0759 The north shore of Marina Bay, with Esplanade-Theatres
on the Bay, Marina Centre and Singapore Flyer

On the north shore of Marina Bay, in which flows Singapore River, is Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, built to be the centre for performing arts for Singapore and completed in 2002. The unique architectural design has been said to have an appearance similar to either a durian or the eyes of a fly. Hence, the building is colloquially known to locals as "the durians". Between the Esplanade and the Singapore Flyer is spanning Marina Centre, a zone of reclaimed land which contains Suntec City, Marina Square, Millenia Walk, and Millenia Tower (218m - completed in 1996), with the roof in the form of a truncated cone.