Central Area, Singapore
Central Area | |
---|---|
Masjid Sultan, Rochor | |
Coordinates: 1°17′30″N 103°51′00″E / 1.29167°N 103.85000°E | |
Country | Singapore |
Region | Central Region |
Planning Areas |
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CDCs | |
Town councils |
|
Constituencies | |
Central Area created |
|
Government | |
• Mayors | Central Singapore CDC
South East CDC |
• Members of Parliament | Jalan Besar GRC
Mountbatten SMC Tanjong Pagar GRC
|
Area | |
• City centre | 17.84 km2 (6.89 sq mi) |
• Metro | 132.7 km2 (51.2 sq mi) |
Population | |
• City centre | 60,520 |
• Density | 3,400/km2 (8,800/sq mi) |
• Metro | 939,890 |
• Metro density | 7,100/km2 (18,000/sq mi) |
Postal districts | 1, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
Dwelling units | 12,571 |
The Central Area, also called the City Area, and informally The City, is the main
Singapore's modern history began in this area, when Stamford Raffles and representatives of the British East India Company landed along the banks of the Singapore River to set up a free port in Southeast Asia. As the old harbour grew along the mouth of the river bank, the 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). The area is also home to many governmental institutions, notably the seat of Parliament and the Supreme Court of Singapore.
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 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.
History
Much of the central area bounded by Telok Ayer Road, which has a high concentration of skyscrapers, is actually built on reclaimed land.
At Church Street is the
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 a small Armenian community that once resided in Singapore. The Church was credited as a national monument.[12]
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.[13]
During 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.[14]
Land use
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
Since the 1970s, the
Shophouses on Ann Siang Hill have changed purposes over the years. In the past, these shophouses were used as clan houses for the various clans that existed in the Chinatown region. Due to a housing shortage exacerbated by World War II, HDB began development of the blocks after the war.[15]
See also
- Architecture of Singapore
- Tourism in Singapore
- City of Singapore (historical entity)
- Central Singapore District
References
- ^ "Singapore Infopedia – Development guide plan". National Library Board. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
- ^ a b "City Population – statistics, maps and charts | SINGAPORE: Subdivision". Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
- ^ HDB Key Statistics FY 2014/2015 Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Downtown Core Planning Report 1995". Urban Redevelopment Authority. Archived from the original on 12 June 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
- Singapore Infopedia. 17 April 1999. Archived from the originalon 27 August 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
- ^ "Welcome to Thian Hock Keng". Thianhockkeng.com.sg. Archived from the original on 23 August 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
- ^ National Library Board, Singapore. "Thian Hock Keng". Infopedia. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ^ "Thian Hock Keng Temple, Singapore". Asiaexplorers.com. 8 July 2006. Archived from the original on 1 June 2009.
- ^ a b National Library Board, Singapore. "Yue Hai Ching Temple". Infopedia. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ^ a b Migration (21 October 2014). "Sri Thendayuthapani Temple joins 66 others on list of Singapore's national monuments | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
- ^ "Yue Hai Qing Miao "Yueh Hai Ching Temple" Singapore". Streetdirectory.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
- ^ [1] Archived 10 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "A Premier Lifestyle Destination". Chijmes. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
- ^ Nirmala, M. (13 February 2014). "MacDonald House attack still strikes home in S'pore". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
- ^ Yuen, Belinda (November 2007). "Squatters no more: Singapore social housing". Global Urban Development Magazine. 3 (1). Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
Further reading
- Planning Areas Boundaries Map A, showing extent of the Central Area Archived 7 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine