During the 11th century, this small but strategically-placed island had earned a new name - "Singa Pura" ("Lion City"). According to legend, a visiting Sri Vijayan prince saw an animal he mistook for a lion and Singapore's modern day name was born.

 

Statue of the Merlion - symbol of Singapore.

It is linked to Malaysia by two causeway bridges, and the key islands of the Riau archipelago of Indonesia are just a quick ferry trip away. Thailand and the Philippines are a short plane journey away. Singapore, with an airport served by more than 69 airlines, is very much the gateway to Southeast Asia.

 

The Johor-Singapore Causeway links the city of Johor Bahru
in Malaysia to the town of Woodlands in Singapore. It serves
as a road, rail, and pedestrian link, as well as water piping
into Singapore.

The architecture of Singapore is varied, reflecting the ethnic build-up of the country. Singapore has several ethnic neighbourhoods, including Chinatown and Little India.

 

Little India is located around Serangoon Road with Hindu temples,
and plenty of shopping opportunities for spices, jewelery and
anything else you would expect from an Indian district.

Many places of worship were also constructed during the colonial era. Singapore's skyline boasts the distinctive minarets of mosques, spires of gothic cathedrals, intricate figurines of Hindu temple gods and distinctive roof architecture of Chinese temples. Sri Mariamman Temple, the Masjid Jamae mosque and the Church of Gregory the Illuminator are among those that were built during the colonial period. Work is now underway to preserve these religious sites as National Monuments of Singapore.

 

Sri Mariamman Temple - Singapore's oldest Hindu temple,
coloured figurines some 72 Hindu deities adorning
spectacular, vividly-coloured, five-tiered gopuram.

Due to the lack of space and lack of preservation policies during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, few historical buildings remain in the Central Business District (CBD) - the Fullerton Hotel and the previously-moved Lau Pa Sat being some exceptions.

 

Orchard Road is said to have the largest concentration of shopping malls worldwide.

Past the shopping malls are streets lined with shophouses. Many other such areas have been gazetted as historic districts. Information can be found at the URA Centre in Maxwell Road, where there are exhibits and several models of the island and its architecture.

 

Singapore skyline from Marina Bay with the esplanade and marina mandarin in sight.

Singapore has also become a centre for postmodern architecture. Historically, the demand for high-end buildings has been in and around the Central Business District (CBD). After decades of development, the CBD has become an area with many tall office buildings. These buildings comprise the skyline along the coast of Marina Bay and Raffles Place, a tourist attraction in Singapore.

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