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| Panorama of the 'Belly of the Carp' on Singapore River |
Singapore was founded in 1819 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles near the mouth of the river as a
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| The Merlion |
British trading post. Its names derives from the Sanskrit word Singapura. Singa means 'lion' and pura is 'city'. This is the origin of its nickname the 'Lion City'. The Merlion has become its iconic emblem : a mix of a 'merman' with the head of a lion.
In the 1820s, the south bank of the Singapore River started to develop as the main commercial center. This part of the river resembles the belly of a carp. According to the Chinese belief this is a sign of wealth and prosperity. This accounts why Hokkien Chinese started to build shophouses on the southern bank of the river in a place now known as Boat Quay. Most of the trading activity there was done for tin, rubber, steel as well as rice, tea and coffee.
Today, the port activity has moved to a larger and more modern area making the Lion City the second commercial port in the world after Rotterdam. In the late 1980s, a plan was made to conserve the heritage of Boat Quay. The
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| Singapore River |
restoration is now complete and Boat Quay has become a bustling pedestrian mall with pubs, cafés and restaurants. It is particularly active at night as it offers an ideal location for Singaporeans and visitors to cool off by the river.
Photos (Google)
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| Night panorama of Marina Bay |
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