37-581: Orchard Road , often known colloquially as simply Orchard , is a major 2.5 km (1.6 mi)-long road in the Central Area of Singapore . A famous tourist attraction , it is an upscale shopping area, with numerous internationally renowned department stores , shopping malls , restaurants , and coffeehouses located in its vicinity. It's a popular hotspot in Singapore, especially at night, attracting trendy urban youth. The Orchard Planning Area
74-421: A Jewish cemetery was established; it was located where Dhoby Ghaut MRT station is now and was demolished in 1984. In the 1860s, Orchard Road had a great number of private houses and bungalows on hills looking down through the valley where the road passed through. Early in the 1890s, King Chulalongkorn , the then King of Siam , acquired "Hurricane House" in the vicinity of Orchard Road through Tan Kim Ching ,
111-507: A mangrove swamp ." Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew 's house is located at 38 Oxley Road, which is just south of Orchard Road. On the western side of Orchard Road is the Singapore Botanic Gardens , the only tropical garden in the world that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . About halfway down Orchard Road are Cairnhill and Emerald Hill , which are mainly private residential areas. Next to Emerald Hill
148-596: A century as a two-way thoroughfare, Orchard Road became a one-way street east of Scotts Road in 1974. and entirely in 1977 when Orchard Boulevard was completed. Orchard Road starts at the junction with Orange Grove Road, which is the location of the Orchard Hotel. It then stretches southeast across the Scotts Road–Paterson Hill junction, Orchard MRT station , Bideford Road, Somerset MRT station , Central Expressway , Dhoby Ghaut MRT station , and ends at
185-504: A cover structure composed of models depicting the lives of Chinese villagers . Guangxu also presented the temple with a signboard that is still displayed in the temple today. The Armenian Church, located at Hill Street, is the oldest church in Singapore. The funding for the building of the church came from contributions of the Armenian community. It was built in the 1830s by George Coleman, the architect of many buildings in Singapore, for
222-624: A national monument in 1973. The temple is currently managed by the Hokkien Huay Kuan . At Church Street is the Yueh Hai Ching Temple , one of the oldest Taoist temples , having been built in 1852 (however, an older wood-and-attap shrine was built on Philip Street 1826). This temple was established by a group of Teochew settlers from Guangzhou in China when they dedicated a shrine to Tian Hou Sheng Mu. This temple faced
259-471: A number of other roads leading into Orchard Road. Orchard Road is one-way heading south and leads into Bras Basah Road which is a one-way street heading south. Central Area, Singapore South East CDC Mountbatten SMC Tanjong Pagar GRC The Central Area , also called the City Area , and informally The City , is the main commercial and financial city centre of Singapore . Located in
296-409: A small Armenian community that once resided in Singapore. The Church was credited as a national monument. CHIJMES , located at Victoria Street, was originally a Catholic convent which is currently converted into a modern dining area with restaurants . The original structure was well preserved and the chapel is still present. The restaurants reside in the old structures of the convent. During
333-487: Is Centrepoint , which houses the supermarket Cold Storage , the oldest surviving business establishment in the area. Amber Mansions , one of the earliest apartment blocks in Singapore, which was built around the turn of the 20th century, was torn down in the 1980s to make way for the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. Specialists' Shopping Centre was one of the earliest redevelopment projects on Orchard Road. It occupied
370-639: Is a planning area as specified by the Urban Redevelopment Authority . It is part of the Central Area located within the Central Region . Orchard is bordered by Newton in the east and north, Tanglin in the west, River Valley in the south and Museum to the southeast. Orchard Road got its name from the nutmeg , pepper , and fruit orchards or plantations that the road once led to. Such plantations were common in
407-522: Is prohibited to hail taxis at locations other than these official stands. Those driving into Orchard Road may enter from the west via Tanglin Road. Vehicles from Bukit Timah Road or Newton Road that travel via Scotts Road can turn left into Orchard Road at the Marriott Hotel junction. Vehicles coming from the opposite direction on Paterson Road can enter Orchard Road by turning right. There are also
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#1732772146788444-619: The Konfrontasi , a group of Indonesian saboteurs bombed the MacDonald House building at Orchard Road . The explosion killed three people and injured at least 33 others. The Central Area is one of the most densely developed places in Singapore, with a large mix of commercial and residential developments packed into a space of only 1784 hectares. A great number of Mass Rapid Transit stations are concentrated in this area as well, especially interchange stations and stations along
481-588: The Circle MRT line . Each of the districts within the Central Area has a heavy and dense commercial presence, especially in the Downtown Core, Orchard and Singapore River districts. Rochor, Newton, River Valley and Outram are commercially thriving, but have fewer skyscrapers and generally include a greater residential presence. Schools , condominiums and Housing Development Board apartments are located in these areas, albeit at higher prices. Since
518-598: The Supreme Court . The Central Area surrounds the banks of the Singapore River and Marina Bay where the first settlements on the island were established shortly after the arrival of Raffles in 1819 . Surrounding the Central Area is the rest of the Central Region. The Central Area shares boundaries with the planning areas of Novena to the north, Kallang to the north and north-east, Tanglin to
555-493: The historical city naturally expanded around it, creating what is now the Central Area. As the financial heart of Singapore, the Downtown Core also houses the headquarters and offices of numerous major corporations, both local and international, as well as the Singapore Exchange (SGX). As the country's de facto capital , it is also home to many governmental institutions, most notably the seat of Parliament and
592-489: The 1830s the Orchard Road area was the scene of gambier and pepper plantations. Later, nutmeg plantations and fruit orchards predominated, hence its name. By 1846, the spread of houses had reached up to Tank Road. There were none on the left side and only three or four houses went past Tank Road on the right side of Orchard Road. One major sight during this period was a Dr. Jun tending his garden, which helped endorse
629-472: The 1960s, a group of Indonesian forces bombed the MacDonald House in Singapore, just a few months before Singapore got its independence from Malaysia. A number of people were killed and the police managed to execute the two military officers responsible for this. Orchard Road was initially designated to be completely smoke-free with the exception of designated smoking areas by 1 July 2018. However,
666-526: The 1970s, the Singapore government and the Urban Redevelopment Authority have reclaimed land portions from Marina Bay in an attempt to expand the Central Area. Newly created portions of land surrounding Marina Bay have been organised and labelled into Marina East , Marina South and Straits View. Many construction projects have been completed in these districts since their creation, but most of them are still under consolidation or development. It also houses
703-555: The Central Area as well, although its boundaries lie within the Downtown Core. Singapore's modern history began in this area, when British colonial official Stamford Raffles and representatives of the British East India Company landed along the banks of the Singapore River in 1819 to set up a free port of trade between Europe and Asia . As the old harbour grew along the mouth of the river bank,
740-616: The Entrance Hall. A plaque inscribed with the words Bo Jing Nan Ming (Gentle Waves over the South Seas) which was bestowed by the Guangxu Emperor of Qing dynasty in 1907, is found in the temple that indicate evidence of the temple's stature. The temple comprises an architectural works of stone, tiles and wood, dragons and phoenixes, as well as carvings, sculptures and columns. The Thian Hock Keng temple has been gazetted as
777-432: The Orchard Road vicinity: Orchard, Orchard Boulevard , Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut MRT stations. These stations are important hubs for commuters, locals, students and tourists who travel to the shopping and business district of Orchard. Bus services provided by SBS Transit , SMRT Buses , Tower Transit Singapore and Go-Ahead Singapore provide access to Orchard Road. Bus stops are staggered to avoid causing congestion, with
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#1732772146788814-668: The Thai Consul in Singapore. Two further pieces of adjoining property fronting onto Orchard Road were purchased in 1897. These subsequently became the site of the Royal Thai Embassy at 370 Orchard Road. Hurricane House was sold off around 1909 shortly before the King's death. In the early 20th century, it was noted that Orchard Road "present[ed] the appearance of a well-shaded avenue to English mansion[s]," comparable in its "quiet but effective beauty to Devonshire lanes." In
851-752: The area in the 19th century. Previously, it was known in Hokkien as "Tang Leng Pa Sat Koi" ( simplified Chinese : 东陵巴刹街 ; traditional Chinese : 東陵巴剎街 ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Tang-lêng Pa-sat-koe ; lit. ' Tanglin Market Street';), and in Tamil, it was known as "Vairakimadam" (Tamil: வயிராகி மடம் , romanized: Vayirāki maṭam , lit. 'Fakir's place') inside town limits and "Māttu Than" ([மேட்டு தான்] Error: {{Langx}}: invalid parameter: |labels= ( help ) ) from Koek's Market to Upper Tanglin. After more than
888-538: The headquarters of many Multinational Companies and the Singapore Exchange . The tallest skyscrapers in Singapore are located at the Central Area, mainly the Raffles Place area. They adhere to a height restriction of 280m, except the Tanjong Pagar Centre , which is exempted from the height restriction and is allowed to be built up to 290m. Shophouses on Ann Siang Hill have changed purposes over
925-666: The implementation was pushed back to 31 December 2018, as businesses will need more time to identify appropriate locations and set up designated areas for smoking, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA). Food establishments that currently have smoking corners within the no-smoking zones will also be given the same extension to remove them. Currently, around 40 designated smoking areas have been set up, including five public ones at Orchard Towers, Far East Plaza, The Heeren, Cuppage Terrace, and behind Somerset MRT station. Since its announcement, NEA has said that
962-518: The junction with Handy Road (just before Prinsep Street), where it becomes Bras Basah Road . It has extensive underground infrastructure, including underground pedestrian walkways between the malls running underneath the street and other streets in the vicinity. The numbers begin at Handy Road and end at Orange Grove Road. Orchard Road was already cut in the 1830s, though the new road was not named in George Coleman 's 1836 Map of Singapore . In
999-578: The late 19th century when the Teochews became the second largest Chinese Dialect group in Singapore. The temple was honoured with a bian e , an imperial plaque from Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty in 1907. In 1996 it was gazetted as a national monument and it underwent repairs and restoration works. The background contrast between the old temples and the new modern buildings indicate the juxtaposition and coexistence of new and old. The temple has
1036-404: The leadership of Tan Tock Seng and Si Hoo Keh, is in the architectural style of southern China, using only materials imported from China and supported with no nails . The clan's office was housed there and this temple was also used as a meeting venue. The construction of the temple was completed in 1842 and details of this temple's history are recorded in granite tablets found on the wall inside
1073-549: The majority of stakeholders have been supportive of this initiative. As of 1 January 2019, Orchard Road was officially declared as a strictly smoke-free zone except within the designated smoking areas. At Orchard Road's eastern end is the official residence and office of the President of Singapore , the Istana , marked with Nibong palms and a plaque that reads, "As the nibong is a mangrove palm, this site must have once been
1110-469: The north-west and west, Bukit Merah to the south-west and Marine Parade to the east. The south-easternmost limits of the city is enclosed by Marina Barrage , where the mouth of Marina Bay meets the Singapore Strait . Much of the central area bounded by Telok Ayer Road, which has a high concentration of skyscrapers, is actually built on reclaimed land. Therefore, when Thian Hock Keng Temple
1147-602: The road's name. He had a garden and plantation at the corner of what is now Scotts Road and Orchard Road. Towards the later part of the 1840s, graveyards began to appear along the road. By 1846, the Chinese had a large graveyard around what is now the Hilton Singapore Orchard and Ngee Ann City, while the Sumatrans from Bencoolen had their burial ground where the current Hotel Grand Central stands. Later
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1184-708: The scheme being implemented on 13 May 2004 (1st Phase, Mandarin Orchard Singapore) and 28 May 2004 (2nd Phase, Midpoint Orchard). A bus lane was introduced in 2005, operational from 7.30 am to 8 pm, Monday to Saturday. It was extended to 24 hours in 2016. Westbound passengers can board their buses at Penang Road (Dhoby Ghaut Station), Somerset Road (Somerset Station), Orchard Turn (opp Ngee Ann City/Takashimaya), Orchard Turn (Orchard Station), Orchard Boulevard (opp Orchard Station) and Orchard Boulevard (Wheelock Place). Orchard Road has numerous taxi stands, which are mostly found at shopping centres and hotels. It
1221-574: The sea and was therefore a place where newly arrived Chinese immigrants (sailors and travellers) came to offer their respect to the Goddess for their safe voyage across the seas. The renovation to the temple was undertaken by the Ngee Ann Kongsi , which was formed by a group of immigrants from the Teochew community. This temple served as a meeting place for the people of the Teochew community in
1258-559: The site of the former Pavilion Cinema, which was demolished in 1979. Specialists' Shopping Centre was itself demolished in 2007 to make way for new development, called Orchard Gateway . Elsewhere just off Orchard Road is Scotts Road. Scotts Shopping Centre housed Singapore's first food court , which sat below the Ascott Singapore. It was torn down in June 2007 to make way for Scotts Square. The first shop of note on Orchard Road
1295-560: The south-eastern part of the Central Region , the Central Area consists of eleven constituent planning areas : the Downtown Core , Marina East , Marina South , the Museum Planning Area , Newton , Orchard , Outram , River Valley , Rochor , the Singapore River and Straits View , as defined by the Urban Redevelopment Authority . The term Central Business District ( CBD ) has also been used to describe most of
1332-516: Was Tangs founded in 1934 and established on Orchard Road in the 1950s. Orchard Road shopping malls include ION Orchard , Wisma Atria , Ngee Ann City , Orchard Central , Orchard Gateway, 313 @ Somerset, Orchard Plaza, Plaza Singapura , The Centrepoint , The Heeren , Mandarin Gallery, Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, Wheelock Place , Liat Towers , Shaw House and Scotts Square . Prominent tenants do include: There are four major MRT stations in
1369-569: Was built in 1839 along Telok Ayer Road, the temple used to face the sea and would be the first place visited by newly arrived Chinese immigrants to worship and give thanks to Ma Zu (Goddess of the Sea) for her blessings of their safe voyage. Prior to 1839, the temple served as a joss-house for the Hokkien immigrants. This temple, which is also one of the first Hokkien temple to be built by the Hoklo under
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