Raymond
Prior to the embarkment on the heritage trail, I had very little or almost negligible knowledge on the history and culture of Singapore. This trip has been very enriching as I never knew Singapore had so many National monuments hidden in this small red dot.
Despite the years of education Singapore has given to us, many of us are still lacking knowledge in the history and development of Singapore since the day Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore. Engrossed in our hectic lifestyles, I am sure almost no one takes notice of the various run-down buildings that surround us. It is even harder to spot some of these heritage structures which have undergone various transformations to improve their exterior and interior images. It is amazing how often many of us, including myself, have walked past them before without turning a head.
After completing the trail, I have gained more knowledge about the history of Singapore. Many of the buildings played important roles as they were used by our forefathers in the early years of nation building. There are also many interesting facts about the locations as well as the uses for the buildings in the past.
This is especially for the MICA building, as who would have known that it served as a holding area for prisoners during the Japanese occupation of World War II. I never knew that the surrounding area of the building resembled a rabbit fish which is supposed to signify good fortune and the Chinese believed that the construction of the building disturbed the good feng shui .
The visit to Central Fire Station was an eye opener for me as Singapore has been a country which is relatively free from fire accidents or fire hazards. The vast collection of the past fire fighting equipment shows how important the firemen’s jobs were. The fire fighting gear, equipment for the firemen has evolved tremendously which empowers them to help save more lives. We happened to bump into a group of Singapore Civil Defence personnel who were also having their tour of the place.
Being a Buddhist, I had never been to churches or cathedrals before. I was amazed by the beautiful stained glass as well as the peacefulness of these religious places when our group visited the Cathedral of The Good Shepherd, Armenian Church and St Andrew's cathedral. It was very different from my idea of a church or cathedral and I gained a deeper understanding on the culture of these historical religious buildings. Although some of the buildings were quite poor conditions, their importance to the devotees remain. With the available land in Singapore getting scarce, I hope that the government will step up in their efforts to conserve and preserve them as long as possible for our younger generations.
Visits to the National Museum of Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, National Archives of Singapore and the Singapore Philatelic Museum provided me with valuable insights on the history of Singapore, right from the days before Raffles founded Singapore. There were also many galleries to showcase the various aspects like art, food, fashion, dialect groups as well as life under the British and the Japanese. The high-tech devices helped to relate to the visitors in an interactive and interesting way. I was able to learn about the key events which shaped Singapore and how much we as a nation has progressed. This will be extremely useful and important as the collection of our past can teach the younger generation that the Singapore today did not change overnight but took years and the efforts of many great people.
Overall, this trip has changed my perception of history in Singapore. A small and young country could actually have such a rich history. The hours spent walking around and visiting the national monuments allowed me to experience learning history beyond what textbooks and teachers can provide or teach. Hopefully, the government can achieve greater success in preserving the history of Singapore and allow the younger generations to have the opportunity to know more about our country, our homeland.
Samuel
Alright, frankly speaking when I heard we’re suppose to do this heritage trail thing, nothing good came into my mind. The scorching sun, humidity, unpredictable weather, I can never get used to Singapore’s weather. I expected a boring trip, visiting old sites, run-downed buildings, places which I wouldn’t visit on my own.
However, during the course of the trail, I was kinda glad I went to those places (not like i had a choice). Places like Raffles Hotel, CHIJMES, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, these are sites which I had passed by a couple of times, and each time somewhere back of my head I felt kinda curious of what is it like inside, however laziness (and other priorities) forbid me to explore.
Amongst the sites, the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is my kinda place. Well not only our names are quite similar, I also have an inclination towards the art side (yes I’m an arty farty person), and more importantly, being a former student of St Joseph’s Institution (SJI), and SAM being the old building of SJI, it kind makes me feel at home exploring the area.
Alright now for the place I hate most - fort canning. We have to climb that uber long flight of stairs up only to be greeted by mosquitoes. I think more time is spent trying to get rid of the mozzies than exploring the area, well for me at least.
Anyway, I think overall this trip is a rather good experience, we got to explore places which we never thought existed. We even found a cool shop at some corner selling different type of cameras, from small keychain ones to lego cameras! A great place to get a unique birthday gift. Okay I won’t say I’ll ever do this again on my own, but I can say it did open my eyes to the different historical sites and discover new things in this tiny Singapore.
Sutsia
Honestly, I wasn’t looking forward to the history trail trip as i thought that there aren’t much places I have not been too in Singapore and I’m bored of this tiny island.(typical Singaporean’s complain). But the trip proved me otherwise. (:
Many of these monuments stood through colonial times, World War II, Post war, merger, separation and most importantly they witness the day Singapore became a nation and how she came through. They contain many of the recordings from the past and without them, some of the knowledge and history may not be remembered. I am truly grateful to people who had preserved these places so that these information could be pass down through the years.
Although these can be recorded down into books but I think seeing the remnants speaks much more than the books. This has a striking resemblance to my thoughts after watching the local production, Da Shi Jie. The movie tells the story of the lives of the people who were living at there before the place was torn down for upgrades. After watching the movie, I felt a sense of disappointment that I’m not able to visit the place that my parents use to hang out at. I believe that the place holds the memory of many people as well. Although the place continues to live in their memories, over the years, the place may cease to exist as people pass on and these vivid memories will be lost.
Back to the trail, the monuments made me discover more characteristics of this island. For example, most of these monuments were built by certain race groups from a particular country. This speaks a lot about the social community then. The monuments act as a focal point for people of the same culture to gather. These gathering even extend to members across the waters, for instance the Armenian Church had contributions from Armenians in Indonesia. Some serve to empower their own kind, like the Old Tao Nan School was set up to educate the future generations of Hokkiens in Singapore. Some were evidence of kindness in the early days, CHIJMES was a church that took in many infant girls who were heartlessly abandoned. The nuns showered them with love and groomed them into capable ladies who can strive for a place in the society.
All these places depict the multi-faced features of Singapore through the years, some culture continue to live today while others were left as yesterday’s history. I hope that all could be preserved for the better future as I believe that valuable knowledge and experience could be learnt from the past. Just like how this trail allowed me to rediscover my homeland and see things in a different light.
The Raffles Hotel, CHIJMES, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Singapore Art Museum, Astons(lunch), St Andrew Cathedral, Central Fire Station, Armenian Church, MICA Building, Fort Canning Park, National Archives of Singapore, Singapore Philatelic Museum, Free Masons’ Hall and the Old Tao Nan School holds the memory of my history trail with my group mates.
Michelle
The heritage trail made me realise that I would fail as a Singaporean if I should ever have to take a “how Singaporean are you” test. And I didn’t feel happy knowing that. I found out that there was a lot more to the places that I had not known before. Even with all the information that I had gathered about these historical monuments from the ever useful internet prior to going on our heritage trail, the words of the internet made little sense until the actual monument was in front of me. I had never stepped into the Raffles Hotel before, and I thought it was quite magnificent, the way they managed to preserve the original building. though a few wings had been added after the initial construction of the building, they had kept most of the exterior the same and maintained the colonial-style that it was constructed in. it was fun going to the museum to see all the artifacts that they had gathered over the years from the colonial times and comparing the photos of the hotel of the past to its current appearance. We wanted to see the Writer’s Bar but the concierge said that only residents of the hotel could enter, so we were quite disappointed about it.
The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd looked like such a run-down building that it was hard to believe it was gazetted as a national monument. you’d think that the government being so concerned about Singapore’s image, would put more effort into maintaining its national monuments. Paint was cracking from the gates, and the bricks looked weathered from wear and tear of old age. Duck tape and wood pieces acted as stabilisers for the back of the cathedral as a form of temporary measurement to prevent the old building from crumbling due to the construction of the newly built Circle Line. Its exterior made it look like a dilapidated house. Having been built in the 19th century, I felt that more effort should have been put into the maintenance of it since it is part of Singapore’s history. It stands today as one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches of Singapore and more people should be made aware of its importance before the building crumbles- a very real possibility if no action is taken soon.
Without the heritage trail, I doubt that I would have ever researched about the national monuments listed in civic district 2. I found it even more fascinating that so many places are actually within walking distance of each other, and yet I had not been to most. I have been to the Central Fire Station before, as well as Fort Canning, but as far as I remember, I do not think that i have been to places like the National Archives, the Peranakan Museum, the Philatelic Musuem, nor the St. Andrew’s Cathedral. It was a good experience for me to visit again the places that I have been to before, to refresh my memory of facts that i had learnt about them, as well as to learn more about them. I think it was an enriching experience. I am glad for the heritage trail, because though it seemed childish like a primary school excursion, with new friends who may know more about certain places, it has made learning Singapore’s history fun.
Daniel
When I first know that we have to do a heritage tour around one of the busier part of the island, my first thoughts were of worried and of annoyance. Worried, because I was afraid of the crowd of places we have to go. Annoyed, as I have to spend so much time doing something boring and uninteresting.
However, I also feel that as it is a requirement for us to visit and write up the blog about the civic district, why not embrace a positive attitude and learn something new? I could use this opportunity to open myself up to stuff from other race, religion and community. Also, adopting a positive would also make the tours more fun and enjoyable, as it would not feel like a chore walking through these places.
Among the many places we had visited, a few places stand out more and were more memorable to me. One such place is the Raffles hotel, partly because it was the first site we went. As I did not have the opportunity nor the money to stay in the hotel, going into the hotel compound was always the last thing on my mind every time I walk past the hotel. However, this trail had me enter the compound and explore the place. With the help of the staff there, we were able to locate the raffles hotel museum which displays many artifacts and memorabilia telling us the story of how the hotel was built and events of the hotel. We also had our photograph taken and a quick chat with the doorman, with regards to the history of hotel, his uniform and his role to the hotel. The famous doorman, to me was sort of like an ambassador of the hotel.
Another place which was more memorable to me is the National museum of Singapore. I feel that museum was beautifully decorated and organised. Organised into many different galleries, we have the chance to interact with the museum displays from the various aspect of history of Singapore, such as food, film and photography etc. Watching videos and seeing so many artifacts in the museum, it allows me to really feel that I was back in the older days! Undoubtedly, the museum is the site which we spent the most amount of time in.
One place that I would also like to mention is the fort canning park. Walking through and exploring the place, I could see that the place was really were maintained. Efforts were also made to help visitors understand the history or the place, with the help or many signboards and guides. Every step through the place is a new lesson learnt on the history of the place.
All these places that we have visited definitely left a strong impact in me. Documenting and piecing up the history of Singapore, the places we visited made us aware of what people in the past faced and experienced. The heritage tour allows me to understand and experienced things that I do not know and will not know if I did not go through the trail. A special mention has to go to the committees and the people who helped in preserving and maintaining all these historical sites. Without them, many would not have been able to relive and understand the past.
Finally, a special mention to my group mates as well. Having to fix a common time to meet up together to visit the site is very difficult due to their personal commitments. I really appreciated their attitude and willingness to cooperate to make our heritage tour enjoyable and successful.
Jinquan
Prior to embarking on this heritage trail project, most of the members of our group did not even know that the National Heritage Board came out with specific trails that will bring us to historical places that have been preserved and restored. Each trail speaks about a specific part of the nation’s history. Some examples that I found on the official heritage trail website were the Balestier Trail, Bukit Timah trail and the Civic District trail.
This civic district trail was Singapore first permanent heritage trail. I am someone who is rather apathetic towards the history of our nation but I must say that the two days that our group embarked on the trail was an eye opener and an enriching history lesson for me. This heritage trail allowed me to to have a deeper understanding of Singapore’s past specifically during the colonial period, World War Two and the post war period to the day of Singapore independence. After completing the trail, I felt that the National Heritage Board has done an outstanding job in conserving the nation’s history. Many of the historical buildings though having a tinge of modern architectural touch to them are relatively well conserved. One example is Chijmes. To be honest, I did not know that Chijmes was a place of historical significance. I only knew that my friends frequent it for the mouth-watering food and the weekend soccer screenings. While doing our research, we found out that the broken window of the chapel was repaired by French specialists using the original materials. In addition, French experts were also invited to oversee the restoration and cleaning of the buildings. I am really amazed by the painstaking effort that the National Heritage Board goes through in order to perpetuate the historical sites for current and future generations.
Our first stop of the trail was the Raffles Hotel and this place really left a deep impression on me. Raffles Hotel does not resemble the typical modern hotels that you will generally find in Singapore. Instead, it has this unique architectural style that brings back the colonial flavour that was present when it was first built. Even the attire of the doorman that is specially custom made and imported from abroad resembles those that were worn in the earlier days. What impresses me the most was the presence of a Raffles Hotel Museum within the Hotel itself. The Museum has a vast repository of historical photographs and artefacts that were related to the earlier days of the hotel .I never thought I would find a museum in a hotel.
Throughout the whole trail, I was most impressed with the National Museum. I love the way the museum allowed visitors to get soaked into the nation’s history not only visually but with our other senses as well. In a particular room, there were several touch screens being set up each depicting different aspects of Singapore’s history. One video in particular showcased the life of the Armenians in the earlier days. Visiting the museum was a good investment of time as it exposes me to certain areas of Singapore history that I was previously unfamiliar with.
As Singapore has a small land area, there has always been a dilemma between urban redevelopment of the city to meet the demands of a growing population and conserving the nation’s rich history. Most of the historical sites that we visited serve other purposes like tourist attractions and for businesses too. One example is the Fort Canning Park which has been modernized for educational purposes and tourist attraction but at the same time still maintaining remnants of the original features. The park now has a museum named the Battle Box and a Fort Canning Centre while original features like the 1846 Gothic Gateway has been retained and safeguarded. The museums themselves also did not disappoint, showcasing a good amount of Singapore’s history. Overall, given limitations that we face, I think a great balance has been striked between the urbanization of the country and the safeguarding of our national heritage.
To top it off, I am grateful for my wonderful teammates who made the heritage outings enjoyable. I was also very impressed by the effort made by our team Information technology experts in coming out with a lavish blog design thought of while playing the monopoly application on Facebook.
Jia Hua
Going on this trail made me realized how little I know about Singapore’s history and its cultural heritage. Prior to this trail, the road names and buildings were all so unfamiliar to me. This trail gave me an opportunity to visit places that I have yet to been to.
Places such as the National Museum gave me a great insight of what Singapore was like in the past. Videos as well as exhibits showcased Singapore’s history effectively, and with the hearing device available, it has definitely succeeded in educating the general public and creating more awareness about Singapore. I was truly fascinated by the monuments kept in the galleries and the walkthrough had certainly benefited me in gaining more knowledge and understanding about Singapore.
Overall, conservation of these heritage sites are considered well maintained; the main structures of the buildings are still in place. However, as the country moves on to the 21st century, it is inevitable that the conservation of certain places is disrupted. For instance, in the case of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, due to the construction of the Circle Line, the building had become unstable. Wooden planks have been attached to it, destroying the beautiful architecture of the building.
In addition, most buildings had redevelopment and refurbishing done. Is this for the purpose of attracting more tourists so as to gain profit from it? Or was it to rebuild the heritage site, allowing people to have a sense of knowledge about Singapore in the past?
In my opinion, I feel that some parts of Singapore’s heritage are actually lost due to the changes. However, I do acknowledge the effort made by the government in replicating the past as it is important to know about our roots.
‘Preserving one's heritage is an important aspect of organization evolution. As we look ahead to the future challenges and opportunities, it is important that we remember where we came from and where we are now, to better determine where we are headed.’
- Lee Kuan Yew
Phildia
Having to take this heritage trail, it made me realize how much I do not know my own homeland. Not only was I appalled by my lack of knowledge of the places I’ve been to many times, I also found out about places that I have yet to go. I felt like a stranger to Singapore’s history.
CHIJMES is a place I have been to quite a number of times and little did I know that it was so full of history. The food is what attracts the throng of people to CHIJMES now but little of its history is ever told. I have not seen the Gate of Hope or the chapel during the times that I’ve been there and I felt sadden not knowing of its existence
I especially liked the Singapore Philatelic Museum. The building is beautiful and it has a colonial era post letterbox just right outside which attracted me. Looking at the stamps in this place reminded me of my mother’s stamp collection. I found out that the museum uses philatelic materials to teach about the world, national history and heritage, which is very interesting. It made me wonder how many in my generation actually have an interest in philately with technology being advance and electronic mails are used more often than traditional mails.
The most educational place to me would be the National Museum of Singapore. I learned a lot about Singapore’s history through the many galleries in the museum. The museum made the tour very interactive, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I could watch videos, look at pictures, view artifacts, smell spices and listen to the recordings.
I think that the way Singapore has preserved many of these buildings, as reminders of our historical heritage, have been successful. Most of the places have large portions of the original structure still intact. An example would be the main building of St Andrew’s Cathedral, which looks identical to how it was in the past. Although most of the buildings have added on new structures and had gone through redevelopment, the prominent sections are still present. However, the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd is an exception as the boundary wall of the Cathedral had to be removed due to the construction of the Circle Line. This decision seems to portray that heritage places are not important and can be demolished for newer structures. If this becomes normality, there might not be much heritage places left in Singapore. For a country to excel and move onward, the past needs to be understood in order to build upon it as foundations for the future.
Most of the buildings are still used as it was originally intended. An example would be the Raffles Hotel. Tourists continue to stay in this world famous hotel. Unfortunately, some of these places have lost some of its heritage due to commercialization. One of the examples would be CHIJMES. Originally a school run by nuns, it is now a commercial area filled with restaurants. If not for its architectural design, it is almost impossible to recognize its original heritage.
My perception of Singapore’s history has always been boring and unexciting, however this heritage trail has changed my perception. Through this trail, I am no longer an ignorant Singaporean. I am proud to say that I now know the history behind these places in Singapore. I firmly believe that the history of Singapore is important as it tells me how it has helped shaped Singapore.
