Singapore Colonial Reminders

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.

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.

Old Parliament House

This well-run art house and heritage centre was built in 1827 and used as the Parliament House from 1965 to 1999. The famous former prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew had his office inside. Nowadays it houses many art exhibitions, dances, films and concerts.

One of the most recognizable statues in Singapore is the bronze elephant located at the front of the building, a gift from King Rama V of Siam (or Thailand nowadays) to show his appreciation after a visit in 1871. Also featured inside the compound, are a few dining experiences including a Thai restaurant and a wine bar.

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.

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.