Misplaced Pages

#832167

49-528: Fort Canning Hill , with its strategic location overlooking the Singapore Harbour, was used as a communication centre after the British established port here in 1819. The first communication facility built on the hill was a flagstaff . The flagstaff was used to display the arrival, identity, location and status of ships entering Singapore Harbour. This was followed by a time ball , a lighthouse and

98-552: A telegraph office in later years. Fort Canning Lighthouse was built on the southern side of Fort Canning Hill to guide ships safely towards the Singapore Harbour. The first signal light on Fort Canning was a simple lantern attached to the top of the Flagstaff in 1855. The Flagstaff light was replaced by the Lighthouse in 1903 by Riley, Hargreaves & Co., who in 1909 combined with another company to form United Engineers that

147-462: A cache of gold ornaments dating to the mid-14th century was discovered at Fort Canning Hill while the Fort Canning reservoir was being excavated. These include a pair of near-identical flexible armlets, a finger ring inscribed with a bird-like motif, three pairs of circular rings (perhaps earrings), an elliptical ornament, and a jewelled clasp with a disc-and-conch motif. Some of these including

196-490: A cache of gold ornaments dating to the mid-14th century was discovered while workers were excavating for the Fort Canning Reservoir . A series of archaeological digs that began in 1984 have uncovered evidence of workshops for glass and gold that dated to the 14th century, and a ceremonial or religious area near the summit. Historical sources also indicate that around the end of the 14th century, Singapura

245-445: A hill behind Long Ya Men , is thought to be today's Fort Canning Hill. In contrast to the inhabitants of Long Ya Men who were described as being prone to acts of piracy, the people of Ban Zu were described as honest. The people were said to "wear their hair short, with a turban of gold-brocaded satin", and they also wore red-coloured clothes and had a leader. Evidence of the significance of Fort Canning Hill had been found; in 1928,

294-544: A historical park. The park overlooks Orchard Road and is set in the heart of the Civic and Cultural District of Singapore, and it now offers a variety of recreational activities as well as historical, educational, entertainment and cultural experiences, and is also used as a place for social events. The park also serves as an important green lung for Singapore's downtown city area . The unique blend of historical relics , lush greenery and expansive lawns has made Fort Canning

343-537: A hub of cultural and artistic activity. It has been a venue of choice for staging myriad outdoor events and activities like theatre carnivals such as Shakespeare in the Park by SRT, art festivals, starlight cinemas and Ballet Under the Stars performances. WOMAD , Singapore's largest music festival, was a regular feature of the park's calendar of events from 1998 to 2007. The Fort Canning Tunnel passes directly under

392-484: A reproduction of an ancient spring and improvements in accessibility. Jubilee Park will be the most "kids friendly" park with a nature-themed playground and slides that follows the contours of the hill. Jubilee Park opened in Jun 2019. Some points of interest that may be found in the park: Ban Zu Ban Zu or Banzu ( Chinese : 班卒 ; pinyin : Bānzú ; Wade–Giles : Pan-tsu ; Malay : Pancur )

441-425: A salt creek that would overflow at high water. A fresh water rivulet formed a kind of a moat alongside the wall. Although Wang Dayuan mentioned that Ban Zu was gated, no opening was apparent along this wall according to Crawfurd. Crawfurd also noted the remains of buildings, some of brick foundation, on the west and northern side of Fort Canning Hill. Among these are ruins of a terrace 40 feet (12 m) square near

490-421: A series of platforms carrying seven 68-pounders were built facing the sea. In 1867 eight 8-inch shell guns and two 13-inch shell guns were added. However, the fortifications were considered a failure from the beginning, as ships could easily get close enough to destroy the town yet 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. In 1907,

539-412: Is poor and grain scarce. The climate is irregular, for there is heavy rain in summer, when it is rather cool. By custom and disposition [the people] are honest. They wear their hair short, with turbans of gold-brocaded satin, and red-oiled cloths [covering] their bodies. They boil sea-water to obtain salt and ferment rice to make spirits called ming chia . They are under a chieftain. Wang reported that

SECTION 10

#1732791711833

588-402: Is still present to this day at nearby River Valley . The light was created by a burner fuelled by kerosene, which generated 20,000 candlepower and itself was dioptric occulting type. The light was "eclipsed" (darkened) every 17 seconds by lowering a metal cylinder around the burner for 3 seconds, thus giving rise to the term "occulting type". Though the Lighthouse survived the destruction of

637-523: The Central Area that forms Singapore's central business district . The hill has a long history intertwined with that of the country due to its location as the highest elevation within walking distance to the city's civic district, within the Downtown Core . It is also a popular location for exhibitions, concerts, and outdoor recreation. It was named after Viscount Charles John Canning ,

686-667: The Second World War , it was finally closed and dismantled in December 1958, when new tall buildings were making it invisible from the sea. It was replaced by a new signal light using electricity that was erected on top of the Fullerton Building . The Fullerton Light was itself taken down in 1979 and is now in the Maritime Museum of Singapore. Due to its historic significance, a replica of the Lighthouse

735-716: The Siamese or the Majapahit . Ban Zu is likely a Chinese transcription of the Malay word pancur meaning "spring of water". Pancur is a common placename in the region. Fansur (Pansur) in Sumatra was known to the Arabs in the 10th century, and Fansur was also the name of a capital of Johor in the 16th century. A spring used to exist on the west side of Fort Canning Hill, called pancur larangan or "forbidden spring" in Malay, where

784-491: The British Resident John Crawfurd wrote about the ruins in some details. Crawfurd described in 1822 the ancient city as being roughly triangular in shape with a base of around a mile in length. It was bounded to the north by remnants of a wall nearly a mile long, around 16 feet (5 m) wide and about 8–9 feet (3 m) high along present day Stamford Road , the east by the sea, and the west by

833-526: The Japanese here. The Japanese also used the buildings above and below the ground for its military until the end of the occupation in 1945, when the British army resumed control. The underground bunker however was abandoned, but it was re-opened on 31 January 1992 as a tourist attraction and is now known as The Battle Box . As the island moved towards self-determination, the British handed over control of

882-532: The Yuan dynasty traveller Wang Dayuan . Later, Sir Stamford Raffles built his residence there, which was also used by other Residents and Governors . It became known as Government Hill until it was renamed Fort Canning in 1861, when a military fort was built on the site. Today it is the location of both the Fort Canning Reservoir and Fort Canning Park . It is believed that the Fort Canning Hill area

931-533: The attack for a month until the Siamese left when Javanese envoys happened to pass by. Ban Zu is believed by some scholars to be located on today's Fort Canning Hill and its nearby areas. Ruins of an old city in Singapore were still visible by the early 19th century, but have since been obliterated by the development of Singapore. Stamford Raffles mentioned the lines of the old city and its defences, and

980-798: The building demolished in 1998. Known as the People's Theatre, the National Theatre was later built near the Van Kleef Aquarium on the western slope of the hill and closer to the Clemenceau Avenue road. The theatre was officially opened on 8 August 1963 and was once the venue for various international performances, universities' convocations and the National Day rallies, it was demolished in August 1986 to make way for

1029-593: The clasp were lost during the Japanese occupation of Singapore in the Second World War. The remaining ornaments have since been reappraised; the gold armband was recently identified as a singhamukha as opposed to its former identification as a Javanese kala motif and two of the circular ornaments bore Hindu-Buddhist references. Archaeological excavations were conducted on Fort Canning by John Miksic in 1984, later expanded to nearby area bounded by

SECTION 20

#1732791711833

1078-494: The early 19th century and described by the Resident John Crawfurd who also found indication of ruins of an ancient orchard, shards of pottery and Chinese coins, the earliest of which dating to 10th century Song dynasty . Crawfurd described the ruins of a square terrace of 40 feet (12 m) square that may have been a temple near the top of the hill, with another terrace almost as big on the northern slope of

1127-413: The first Viceroy of India. The Malays called the hill Bukit Larangan or Forbidden Hill since olden times. This is due to the belief that it is the place where the kings of ancient Singapore were laid to rest, and it was believed to be haunted. It is also believed that a palace once stood on the hill. A settlement on the hill in the 14th century was referred to as Ban Zu (from the Malay pancur ) by

1176-554: The first gun and set up the post to hoist the Union Jack on top of the hill, marking the birth of Singapore as a British settlement. Raffles appointed Farquhar as the first Resident and Commandant of Singapore on the same day. Before leaving on the next day, Raffles left Farquhar with a set of instructions on the administration of the new British settlement. The hill was later known as the Singapore Hill. While Raffles

1225-708: The fort to the Singaporean military in 1963, and was home to the headquarters of the 4th Malaysian Infantry Brigade until December 1966 when it was in turn handed over to the Singapore Armed Forces . The SAF proceeded to build the Singapore Command and Staff College on the fort, which officially opened on 13 February 1970. Construction of the Fort Canning Service Reservoir started in 1927 and finished in 1929. It

1274-428: The hill said to the tombs of a Malay king, Iskandar Shah , although there is no evidence of a burial there. Ban Zu is likely a transcription of the Malay word pancur meaning a spring or stream. Spring used to exist on the west side of the hill, called pancur larangan or "forbidden spring", where the women of the ruler's household were said to bathe in ancient times. In the early period of 19th century Singapore,

1323-554: The hill, serving as the burial ground for early Europeans in Singapore. The first Christian cemetery was used until 1822 and had 3 burials, was located close to Raffles house. The second cemetery was located on the slopes of Fort Canning Hill, and was expanded and consecrated in 1834. A brick wall and a Gothic gateway were constructed in 1846 to enclose it, built by Captain Charles Edward Faber. Two classical monuments, and some headstones placed along brick walls remained at

1372-615: The hill, the banks of the Singapore River and the sea, such as the Parliament House Complex , Empress Place and other locations. The excavations confirmed the presence of a thriving settlement and a trade port here during the 14th century. The artefacts found show that Fort Canning Hill was occupied by the elites, with perhaps a royal palace. It was also the location of artisanal workshops where glass may be recycled, as well as religious activities, although it

1421-621: The hill. Fort Canning Park has been designated as the venue of the bicentennial showcase in 2019, an event which commemorates 200 years since the founding of Singapore. To restore the heritage of the area, three historical gardens will be recreated. They are the Royal Garden, the First Botanical Garden and Jubilee Park. Other enhancements to the park include a new heritage museum at the Fort Canning Centre,

1470-415: The local produce of Ban Zu were hornbill casques , lakawood of medium quality, and cotton. They traded in silk cloths, iron bars, local cotton prints, red gold, porcelain, and iron utensils. Wang's accounts suggest that the city of Temasek was moated and gated, and that the Siamese attacked the city moat of Temasek with around 70 ships a few years before he visited. The city however successfully resisted

1519-413: The nearby construction part of Central Expressway along Clemenceau Avenue.   DT21   Bencoolen   NE5   Clarke Quay The area became known as Central Park in 1972 when the land previously used by the British armed forces was combined with King George V Jubilee Park . The park was then renamed Fort Canning Park on 1 November 1981 by Lee Kuan Yew , and converted into

Fort Canning Lighthouse - Misplaced Pages Continue

1568-769: The old fort was demolished, and only the gateway of the fort and two nine-pound cannons remain. A military headquarters known as Headquarters Malaya Command Operations Bunker was then built with underground rooms serving as operations centre. Under the British Army , it served as the headquarters of the Singapore Base District until the spread of World War II into the Asia Pacific in 1941. Completed in 1938, this ‘bunker’ comprised 30 rooms and had its own generator. On 15 February 1942 Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival surrendered Singapore to

1617-413: The people of Long Ya Men were said to be prone to acts of piracy, the people of Ban Zu were described as honest. This locality is the hill behind Long-ya-men . It resembles a truncated coil. It rises to a hollow summit, [surrounded] by interconnected terraces, so that the people's dwellings encircle it. The soil

1666-402: The site. The cemetery continued to be used until 1865 when it was declared full and closed. By this time, around one third of the burials there were of Chinese Christians. In the 1970s the cemetery was exhumed and many of the surviving tombstones were embedded in the surviving walls. By 1859, the absence of harbour defence led to the hill being used for a military role. The governor's residence

1715-542: The stream was used to provide clean drinking water for all ships stopping at the port until the demand exceeded the capacity, and the spring dried up as wells were dug around the hill. On 6 February 1819, Temenggong Abdul Rahman and Sultan Hussein Shah signed The Singapore Treaty with Stamford Raffles . Major William Farquhar , accompanied by a few Malaccan Malays, climbed up the Bukit Larangan. Farquhar drew up

1764-465: The top of the hill that he took to be a temple, with another terrace almost as big on the northern slope of the hill that local Malays believed to be the tomb of Iskandar Shah (who actually died in Malacca). Crawfurd also mentioned ancient fruit trees cultivated in the gardens, and found pottery fragments and Chinese coins, the earliest of which were dated to the 10th-century Song dynasty . In 1928,

1813-480: The women of the royal household in old Singapura were said to bathe in. Historical information on Ban Zu comes from the Yuan dynasty work Daoyi Zhilüe written by Wang Dayuan. Ban Zu was described as being located behind on a hill behind Long Ya Men of Temasek. Its relationship with Long Ya Men is uncertain, and the descriptions of the people in Banzu and Long Ya Men are different, including their clothing. While

1862-566: Was a port settlement believed to have thrived in Singapore during the 14th century. It is proposed to be located on Fort Canning Hill and the area on the north bank of the Singapore River basin between the hill and the sea. It was mentioned by the Chinese traveller Wang Dayuan in his work Daoyi Zhilüe together with Long Ya Men as the two settlements that made up Temasek . It may have been abandoned before 1400 after an attack by either

1911-400: Was a wooden bungalow with an attap roof, and had a dimension of 100 ft. by 50 ft. It had two parallel halls with verandas at both the front and back, and two square wings serving as sleeping quarters. Raffles also established Singapore's first botanical garden there in 1822. 48 acres of land were set aside for experimental crop cultivation, but the experiment failed and the garden

1960-467: Was attacked by either the Majapahit or the Siamese , forcing its ruler Parameswara to move on to Melaka where he founded the Sultanate of Malacca . Archaeological evidence suggests that the settlement on Fort Canning was abandoned around this time, although a small trading settlement continued in Singapore for some time afterwards. Ruins of the settlement on Fort Canning Hill were still visible in

2009-432: Was built on top the hill on the site of a former barrack and parade ground of the demolished fort. Excavation for the reservoir in 1928 found a cache of Javanese-style gold jewellery dating to the mid-14th century. The reservoir is covered and access is restricted. The Van Kleef Aquarium was first constructed in 1955 at the foot of Fort Canning Hill known as King George V Jubilee Park facing River Valley Road. The aquarium

Fort Canning Lighthouse - Misplaced Pages Continue

2058-420: Was demolished, and a fort with an arms store, barracks and a hospital was built. The fort was completed in 1861, and was named Fort Canning after Viscount Charles John Canning , who was then Governor-General and the first Viceroy of India . A report recommended extensive fortifications, which alarmed the business community who felt a large fortress would be detrimental to trade. Eventually officer's quarters and

2107-430: Was later erected near its original site by the government of Singapore . Though its lights are fully functional, it no longer serves its original purpose but stands today as a legacy of its contribution to Singapore maritime history. Fort Canning Hill Fort Canning Hill , or simply known as Fort Canning , is a prominent hill, about 48 metres (157 ft) high, in the southeast portion of Singapore , within

2156-750: Was moved to a house in Oxley Estate called the Pavilion . On 2 August 1824, Temenggong Abdul Rahman, Sultan Hussein, and John Crawfurd signed the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance at the hill. The hill was also known by the Malays as Bukit Bendera after the Union Jack flag hoisted on the hill by William Farquhar, and later, also as Bukit Tuan Bonham after Sir Samuel George Bonham , who was governor from 1836 to 1848. A Christian cemetery used to exist on

2205-434: Was not a major ceremonial center. The entire Fort Canning Hill area therefore may have been once dotted with various buildings of political, religious and commercial significance. In areas near the hill, evidence of commercial activities and metal working have been found. Analyses of Chinese porcelain found indicate occupation of the site from the late 13th to mid-15th century, while evidence of earthenware manufacture may date

2254-440: Was once the centre of ancient Singapura that thrived in the 14th century, and was occupied by a palace with various buildings of political, religious and commercial significance. In around 1330, the Chinese traveller Wang Dayuan visited the island of Singapore he named as Danmaxi ( Temasek ). Wang described in his work Daoyi Zhilüe the two distinct settlements of Temasek: Long Ya Men and Ban Zu . Ban Zu , located on

2303-641: Was still in Bencoolen , Sumatra at the time, George Drumgold Coleman , having waited for him to return for four months, in the meantime designed for Raffles the Residency House for his residence use. Upon his return in October 1822 and impressed with Coleman's design, Raffles approved the house, construction of which was soon begun on Singapore Hill in November 1822 and completed by January 1823. It

2352-481: Was the first of its kind in South-East Asia, and attracted over 150,000 visitors within three months of its opening, and had around 400,000 visitors annually by the 1970s. However, due to competition from newer attractions which led to declining visitors in the 1980s, it closed on 31 May 1991. A number of attempts were made to renew operation at the site but all were unsuccessful. It finally closed in 1996, and

2401-517: Was then abandoned in 1829. Raffles' former residence was extended and redesigned by Coleman with bricks and tiles in June 1824, as funded by the 2nd Resident John Crawfurd to be used by other Residents and Governors of Singapore as the Government House , thus the location gained the name Government Hill. When the residence was demolished in 1859 to make way for a fort, Government House

#832167