Chinatown

Chinatown

History

When Raffles came to Singapore in 1822, he had plans for an orderly city segregated by ethnicity. This vision unfolded in the Jackson Plan of 1822 where four ethnic areas were designated for the different ethnic groups. The ethnic Chinese were allocated the area southwest of the Singapore River and Chinatown was born. Within Chinatown, each dialect group occupied distinct areas and built social institutions such as clan associations to serve the collective needs of each dialect group.

Most Popular Tourist Attractions

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

This building which is located in the heart of Chinatown was founded in 2002 and opened to public only in 2007. A visit to this temple can be a memorable experience because it is rich in both history and art. The Buddhist Culture Museum on the third floor houses around 300 Buddhist artifacts from all around Asia including China, Thailand, Myanmar and Pakistan!

Sri Mariamman Temple

The oldest shrine in Singapore – Sri Mariamman Temple is one of the most prominent places of worship for Tamil Hindus in the country. It was built to honour Goddess Mariamman – the deity of disease and protection.

Al-Abrar Mosque

This mosque was built in 1827. At that time the building was so small that many people took to calling it the ‘hut mosque’. The present building was erected in the 1850s and went through a major renovation in 1980s.

Chinatown Heritage Centre

The Chinatown Heritage Centre is a place you can learn more about the rich history of old Chinatown and life of its migrants in Singapore.

References

1. Direct, Asia Web. "Chinatown Attractions." Www.singapore.com. N.p., 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://www-singapore.com/attractions/chinatown.htm>.
2. Association, Chinatown Business. "Celebrating the Old and New." Chinatown Singapore Official Website. N.p., 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://www.chinatown.sg/>.
3. Pte., Singapore DUCKtours, Ltd. "Chinatown Heritage Centre." Chinatown Heritage Centre. N.p., 2010. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. <http://www.chinatownheritagecentre.sg/>.