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In his 1822 planning, Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of
Singapore, reserved the area now called Padang (Malay for “field”)
for public edifices. The area, called the Esplanade at the time, initially
served the well to do as a site for recreation, sports, and festivities.
It is flanked by two of Singapore’s oldest clubs: the Singapore
Cricket Club (1852) and the Singapore Recreation Club (1883). The name
Padang has been current since 1907.
The City Hall was completed in 1929 and the Supreme
Court building in 1936, giving the square an official character. Padang
is today the central site for state ceremonies, like the celebration
of Independence Day on August 9 each year. But it is also still used
for sports and other major events. The opening ceremony of the 2006
Singapore Biennial will be held here.
>> opening Singapore Biennale 2006
>> back to City Tour
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