Singapore - The Padang Civic Ensemble

"The Padang (Malay for ‘field’) is a multi-use open green space set at the heart of the historic Singapore settlement that combines the features and functions of a playing field, ceremonial parade ground, and tropical civic square. As one of the oldest open spaces in Singapore, the Padang is a seemingly nondescript yet dynamic green that has evolved organically and accrued diverse functions since its formation in the early 1820s. Shortly after the establishment of a British trading post in Singapore in 1819, the Padang originated as a military parade ground within the larger cantonment which served as the settlement’s military and governing centre. It also served as a defensive esplanade and provided a clear field of fire to defend the fledgling British settlement against foreign naval invasions and internal uprisings. Once the military threat subsided, the site soon gained new and overlapping functions –developing over time into a playing field for British sports like cricket, the town’s municipal and civic centre, and a commemorative venue for pageantries, royal celebrations and Singapore’s independence day parade. Continuously activated over two centuries, the Padang has been a mainstay in Singapore’s urban and social fabric since the colonial era till present.

The Padang is the focal point of a British colonial civic square which was developed by the former colonial administration as its municipal headquarters, and subsequently appropriated by the post-independence government. Sharing the evolutionary trajectory of similar open spaces and civic squares found in former British settlements, the property bears testament to the widespread phenomenon of decolonisation and the globally significant transition of long-held British territories to newly independent nations in the decades following World War II.

With the Padang as its centrepiece, the property comprises the Former City Hall and Former Supreme Court buildings (currently the National Gallery Singapore), Saint Andrew’s Cathedral, Old Parliament House (currently the Arts House), Former Town Hall and Victoria Memorial Hall (currently Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall respectively), and the Former Empress Place building (currently the Asian Civilisations Museum) which all date to the period of British colonial rule in Singapore (1819–1963). This cluster of Neoclassical buildings juxtapose against the adjacent New Parliament and New Supreme Court buildings which were constructed during the post-independence era (1965–present). Two sporting clubs, the Singapore Recreation Club and the Singapore Cricket Club occupy the Padang’s north and south ends respectively, and contribute to the site’s long-running recreational character. The Padang Civic Ensemble collectively represents the administrative, legislative, social, recreational, religious and cultural functions that served colonial and post-colonial society in Singapore."

Source: UNESCO WHS Tentative List

Postcard 1
Aerial view of Padang, Singapore. Bought this postcard in Singapore and cancelled it at Changi Airport, Singapore.

Postcard 2

Aerial view of Padang and adjacent British Colonial Buildings. Bought this postcard in Singapore and cancelled the stamp at Singapore Changi Airport Post Office.

Postcard 3 

Saint Andrew Catheral - Aerial View.  Bought this postcard inside the Cathedral. 

Postcard 4 

Saint Andrew Catheral - Interior View. Bought this postcard inside the cathedral.