Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
118
Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
This cathedral was Singapore's first permanent
Catholic church. Built in the 1840s, it unified many elements of a fractur ed parish. I n
the early days of the colony, the Portuguese Mission thought itself the fount of the Holy
Roman Empire's presence on the island, and so the F rench bishop was reduced to hold-
ing services at the home of a Mr. McSwiney on Bras Basah Road, a dissenting Portuguese
priest held ser vices at a cer tain Dr. d'Ameida's residence, and the S panish priest was so
reduced that we don't even know where he held his ser vices. These folks were none too
pleased with their makeshift houses of worship and so banded together to establish their
own cathedral—the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. Designed in a Latin cross pattern,
much of its architecture is reminiscent of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and St. Paul's in Cov-
ent Garden. The archbishop's residence, in contrast, is a simple two-story bungalow with
enclosed verandas and a portico. Also on the grounds are the residents' quarters and the
priests' residence, the latter more ornate in design, with elaborate plaster work.
4 Queen St. (at the corner of Queen St. and Bras Basah Rd.).
&
65/6337-2036.
Free admission. Open to
the public during the day. 5-min. walk from City Hall MRT.
CHIJMES (Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus)
As you enter this bustling enclave
of retail shops, restaurants, and nightspots, it 's difficult to imagine this was once a con-
vent which, at its founding in 1854, consisted of a lone, simply constr ucted bungalow.
After decades of buildings and add-ons, this collection of unique y et perfectly blended
structures—a school, a priv ate residence, an orphanage, a stunning G othic chapel, and
many others—was enclosed within walls, forming peaceful cour tyards and open spaces
encompassing an entir e city block. Legend has it the small door on the corner of B ras
Basah and Victoria streets welcomed hundreds of orphan babies, girl childr en who just
appeared on the stoop each morning, either born during inauspicious y ears or to poor
families. In late 1983, the conv ent relocated to the suburbs, and some of the block was
leveled to make way for the MRT Headquarters. Thankfully, most of the block survived
and the Singapore government, in planning the renovation of this desirable piece of real
estate, wisely kept the integrity of the ar chitecture. For an evening out, the atmospher e
at CHIJMES is exquisitely romantic.
A note on the name:
CHIJMES is pronounced “Chimes”; the “Chij,” as noted, stands
for Convent of the H oly Infant Jesus, and the “ mes” was just added on so they could
pronounce it “Chimes.”
30 Victoria St.
&
65/6336-1818.
Free admission. 5-min. walk from City Hall MRT.
City Hall (Municipal Building)
During the Japanese Occupation, City Hall was a
major headquar ters, and it was her e in 1945 that A dm. Lor d Louis M ountbatten
accepted the Japanese surrender. In 1951, the Royal Proclamation from King George VI
was read here declaring that S ingapore would hencefor th be kno wn as a city . Fourteen
years later, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew announced to its citizens that Singapore would
henceforth be called an independent r epublic.
City Hall, along with the Supreme Court, was judiciously sited to take full advantage
of its prime location. M agnificent Corinthian columns mar ch acr oss the fr ont of the
symmetrically designed building, while inside, two courtyards lend an ambience of infor-
mality to otherwise officious surroundings. For all its magnificence and historical fame,
however, its ar chitect, F. D. M eadows, relied too heavily on E uropean influence. The
many windows afford no pr otection from the sun, and the entrance leav es pedestrians
unsheltered from the elements. I n defining the v ery nobility of the S ingapore govern-
ment, it appears the Singaporean climate wasn't taken into consideration.
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