If you are a tourist or a local who wish to explore the sights and sounds which make Singapore Singapore (and you also wish to engage in quite a lot of walking!) then we would highly recommend the Jubilee Walk! The government-initiated trail consists of over 20 landmarks, spanning 8 kilometres in the heart of downtown Singapore. It took over 3 days for us to complete (owing to the fact that the weather has been pretty unpredictable recently), and having done so we decided to share our images captured at these iconic landmarks.
The Jubilee Walk
Initiated by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and launched as part of the SG50 Celebrations, the Jubilee Walk is designed to celebrate the progress of Singapore, as evidenced by the various landmarks. The trail starts at the National Museum of Singapore, and passes through various locations, before ending at the Marina Barrage, as shown below:
It would have been more challenging to navigate the long route, if not for the smartphone app Jubilee Walk, which allowed us to locate the landmarks more easily. The app was also useful in providing brief descriptions of the landmarks. Hopefully this will help you in your own Jubilee Walk journey!
Our camera for this occasion was the Lomo’Instant Wide, which we figured would be useful in taking wide angles of the locations, and it being light and handy to carry around! The rest of this entry will be dedicated to the major landmarks recommended by the Jubilee Walk app (information of the locations are also provided by the app), having followed the suggested route:
National Museum of Singapore
Singapore’s first purpose-built museum, the former Raffles Library and Museum houses a variety of exhibitions and artifacts (one of which we visited here).
Fort Canning Park
Before it came to be Fort Canning Park, the hill was the seat of Temasek in the 14th century.
Fort Canning Park (Hill Entrance)
Part of the British administration resided on the hill (known as Government Hill), and a fort was built in 1859 to guard the port.
Peranakan Museum
The building formerly housed Tan Nan School between 1912-1982, and now hosts the Peranakan Museum (dedicated to the culture of Chinese descendants from British Malaya (Malaysia) and Butch East Indies (Indonesia)).
Singapore Philatelic Museum
The site of the first Methodist church in Malaya (1886), it now houses the Philatelic Museum, dedicated to the postal history and stamps of Singapore.
National Archives of Singapore
Just beside the Singapore Philatelic Museum, the National Archives of Singapore preserves the national archives, dating back to 1800.
Armenian Apostolic Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator
The Armenian Church is a significant landmark of the early Armenian immigrants, who constituted the church and the building in 1835.
Central Fire Station
Singapore’s oldest fire station, which continues to be employed for its purpose till this day.
Old Hill Steet Police Station
The former police station was the largest government building when it was built in 1934, and now houses the MCCY.
The Singapore River
The Singapore River is especially important in facilitating commerce in Singapore, contributing to Singapore’s progress in the 1800s.
Asian Civilisations Museum
This building was formerly a courthouse and government office, and now houses the Asian Civilisations Museum (which we visited as well!)
Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall
Singapore’s oldest performing arts facility, the location continues to operate till this day.
Esplanade Park
Located near the iconic modern-day Esplanade Theatres, the scenic park houses some memorials which pay tribute to the events of WWI and WWII.
The Padang
This large green field is significant for hosting many events, including the surrender of the Japanese in 1945 and the National Day Parade on several occasions.
National Gallery Singapore
Singapore’s former City Hall and Supreme Court, the institutional structures now host the National Gallery (which we visited when it first re-opened, and only recently for the Yayoi Kusama exhibition).
The Arts House at The Old Parliament
Formerly used for British administration, it also served as the location for the Legislative Asembly and the Parliament; today it hosts a number of arts-related events.
Parliament House
The Parliament House was completed in 1999, and reflects the modernisation of Singapore as it was then (and now).
Fullerton Building
The Fullerton Building was the former Post Office, and now houses the lavish Fullerton Hotel.
The Fullerton Waterboat House
The Fullerton Waterboat House hosted many government agencies and private companies in the past, and remains a stalwart of Singapore’s maritime influences.
Merlion Park
The iconic Merlion which symbolises Singapore as a “Lion City”, is a reflection of Singapore’s roots as “Temasek” (meaning “Sea Town” in Javanese).
Jubilee Bridge
Newly opened, this bridge-connector offers a stunning view of Marina Bay.
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
The eclectric Esplanade Theatres (which many have come to associate it with the thorny skin of the durian) hosts performing arts events from all over the world.
Helix Bridge
The Helix Bridge (built in 2010) serves as a connector between Marina Centre and Bayfront, and resembles the human DNA, symbolising “life and continuity”.
The Marina Barrage remains a popular site for picnic-goers and outdoor enthusiasts, looking for a place to wind down and relax. Located beside the Marina Reservoir, visitors are treated to a panoramic view of the City Business District and the outlying shore.
Through this experience, we certainly gained an appreciation for how much Singapore has progressed from pre-colonial to post-war and beyond. We know that there are many more landmarks not covered by the Jubilee Walk, but would have stood as a memorial of Singapore’s progress, so we certainly encourage our readers to find out these locations! Nonetheless, we highly recommend this illuminating walk, which will provide a robust physical activity to engage in, and also the opportunity to learn about Singapore’s past, present and future!
Damian with Sandra 