Raffles’ Landing Site
59 Boat Quay, Singapore 049859
The sculpture depicts Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of modern Singapore. Two statues exist, at the Raffles’ Landing Site and Empress Place.
Arms folded and looking thoughtfully out to sea, the white polymarble statue of Raffles at the Singapore River is often photographed.
Take your selfies with this popular figure, located at the historic Raffles’ Landing Site Site where Raffles was believed to first set foot on the island in 1819.
The statue is actually a copy of the original dark bronze statue, and was placed here in 1969 on the 150th anniversary of Singapore’s founding.
If you want to see the much older, original statue, it’s just a short stroll away, in front of Victoria Memorial Hall at Empress Place. Sculpted by renowned Thomas Woolner, it was unveiled on Jubilee Day on 27 June 1887.
Singapore’s iron man
Trivia buffs will love some of the stories behind the Raffles Statue. For one, it was nicknamed orang besi (“iron man” in Malay) when it was first unveiled.
Another quirky fact is that the first statue was relocated from its original location at the Padang in 1919. It was often hit by flying footballs during games, and early Padang spectators liked sitting at its base for a good view.
During the Japanese Occupation, the statue was moved to Syonan Museum (Raffles Museum), and it was widely believed that the Japanese had intended for it to be melted for its bronze. It was reinstalled at Empress Place in 1946.
Today, the statue is a national icon (the white version is popular on some cheeky souvenirs) and remains a symbol of modern Singapore.
Source : yoursingapore.com
The Raffles’ Landing Site is the location where tradition holds that Sir Stamford Raffles landed in on 29 January 1819. The site is located at Boat Quay within the Civic District, in the Downtown Core of the Central Area, Singapore’s central business district. His visit lasted for 10 days and during this period, he concluded the first treaty with the local rulers.
Raffles’ Landing Site is denoted by a statue of Sir Stamford Raffles. The present polymarble statue was unveiled in 1972 which was made from plaster casts from the original 1887 figure that currently stands opposite Victoria Concert Hal
The Plaque at the landing site reads “On this historic site, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles first landed in Singapore on 29th January 1819, and with genius and perception changed the destiny of Singapore from an obscure fishing village to a great seaport and modern metropolis.”
Source : wikipedia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx06RsB9QtA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS8ja3_3vrg
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Getting there : MRT Raffles Place , Exit G
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