Raffles' Landing Site

The Raffles' Landing Site (Chinese: 莱佛士登陆点) is denoted by a statue of Sir Stamford Raffles, and is located on the north bank of the Singapore River. The site is located within the Civic District, in the Downtown Core of the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.

History

The present statue located at Raffles' Landing Site is Singapore's second of Sir Stamford Raffles. The first, cast in bronze by British sculptor-poet Thomas Woolner in 1887 — Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Year — was unveiled originally on the Padang on 27 June 1887 by the Governor, Sir Frederick Weld.

In 1919, Singapore's centenary celebrations, this statue was removed to a site in front of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall. It was unveiled by the Governor, Sir Arthur Henderson Young (1854-1938). During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore from 1942 to 1945, it was almost melted down for its bronze. After the surrender of the Japanese in 1945, the statue was placed in the Museum, but was reinstated in its present location in 1946.

The year 1972 saw the unveiling of the present polymarble statue which was made from plaster casts from the original 1887 figure. The figure marks what is thought to be the site where Sir Stamford Raffles landed on 29 January 1819.

ee also

* History of Singapore
* Timeline of Singaporean history

References

*Norman Edwards, Peter Keys (1996), "Singapore - A Guide to Buildings, Streets, Places", Times Books International, ISBN 9971-65-231-5
*National Heritage Board (2006), "Discover Singapore - Heritage Trails", ISBN 981-05-6433-3