Esplanade, Singapore
The Esplanade is a waterfront location just north of the mouth of the Singapore River in downtown Singapore. It is primarily occupied by the Esplanade Park, and was the venue for one of Singapore's largest congregation of satay outlets until their relocation to Clarke Quay as a result of the construction of a major performance arts venue, the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, which took its name from this location.
Apart from the shows, Singaporeans usually visit the Esplanade for its scenic outdoor view. It overlooks the Singapore river and is in between the Singapore Flyer and Merlion park, making for a good stroll around the vicinity. River ferries stops have been added recently, enhancing its accessibility.
Etymology and history
In the 1850s, the Esplanade referred to what is now the Padang, previously known as The Plain, in front of City Hall. It is best captured in John Turnbull Thomson's 1851 painting, "The Esplanade from Scandal Point".[1]
With land reclamation in 1943, the term Esplanade then referred to the area of the present Queen Elizabeth Walk. Both the Esplanade Park and Queen Elizabeth Walk were built on the reclaimed land. In the park are several memorials, including The Cenotaph (completed in 1922), the Former Indian National Army Monument, the Tan Kim Seng Fountain (moved here in 1925 from Fullerton Square), and the Lim Bo Seng Memorial (which was unveiled in 1954).
Queen Elizabeth Walk covers an area of approximately 9.5 acres (38,000 m2). The walk was substantially completed in 1953 and was named in honour of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth's coronation in the same year. It was declared open on Coronation Day, 30 May 1953 by T.P.F. McNiece. There was an open air bandstand near the Lim Bo Seng Memorial.
The Tamils call the Esplanade "January thidal" or "January place" because of the former sports activities held there on New Year's Day. The Chinese called the place tua kok cheng chau po or "the grass field in front of the great court", referring to the Padang in front of the Supreme Court.
Esplanade MRT station opened on 17 April 2010.
References
- Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2004), Toponymics - A Study of Singapore Street Names, Eastern University Press, ISBN 981-210-364-3
- ^ Gielewski, Liz (November 2013). "The Esplanade from Scandal Point" (PDF). Passage Magazine. Singapore: Friends of the Museums. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
External links
- Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
- Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay Reviews
- Esplanade celebrates 10 years of artful existence -Pravasi Express
- Esplanade the National Performing Arts Centre
- v
- t
- e
- Central Area (City centre)
- Bishan
- Bukit Merah
- Alexandra Hill
- Alexandra North
- Bukit Ho Swee
- Bukit Merah
- Depot Road
- Everton Park
- HarbourFront/Maritime Square
- Henderson Hill
- Kampong Tiong Bahru
- Redhill
- Singapore General Hospital
- Telok Blangah Drive
- Telok Blangah Rise
- Telok Blangah Way
- Tiong Bahru
- Bukit Timah
- Anak Bukit
- Coronation Road
- Farrer Court
- Hillcrest
- Holland Road
- Leedon Park
- Swiss Club
- Ulu Pandan
- Downtown Core
- Anson
- Bayfront Subzone
- Bugis
- Cecil
- Central Subzone
- City Hall
- Clifford Pier
- Marina Centre
- Maxwell
- Millenia Singapore
- Nicoll
- Phillip
- Raffles Place
- Tanjong Pagar
- Geylang
- Aljunied
- Geylang East
- Kallang Way
- Kampong Ubi
- MacPherson
- Kallang
- Marina East
- Marina South
- Marine Parade
- East Coast
- Katong
- Marina East
- Marine Parade
- Mountbatten
- Museum
- Newton
- Cairnhill
- Goodwood Park
- Istana Negara
- Monk's Hill
- Newton Circus
- Orange Grove
- Novena
- Balestier
- Dunearn
- Malcolm
- Moulmein
- Mount Pleasant
- Orchard
- Boulevard
- Somerset
- Tanglin
- Outram
- China Square
- Chinatown
- Pearl's Hill
- People's Park
- Queenstown
- Commonwealth
- Dover
- Ghim Moh
- Kent Ridge
- Margaret Drive
- Mei Chin
- National University of Singapore
- one-north
- Pasir Panjang 1
- Pasir Panjang 2
- Tanglin Halt
- Queensway
- River Valley
- Institution Hill
- Leonie Hill
- One Tree Hill
- Oxley
- Paterson
- Rochor
- Bencoolen
- Farrer Park
- Kampong Glam
- Little India
- Mackenzie
- Mount Emily
- Rochor Canal
- Selegie
- Sungei Road
- Victoria
- Singapore River
- Southern Islands
- Straits View
- Tanglin
- Chatsworth
- Nassim
- Ridout
- Tyersall
- Toa Payoh
- Bidadari
- Boon Teck
- Braddell
- Joo Seng
- Kim Keat
- Lorong 8 Toa Payoh
- Pei Chun
- Potong Pasir
- Sennett
- Toa Payoh Central
- Toa Payoh West
- Woodleigh
- Bedok
- Bayshore
- Bedok North
- Reservoir
- Bedok South
- Frankel
- Kaki Bukit
- Kembangan
- Siglap
- Changi
- Airport
- Changi Point
- Changi West
- Changi Bay
- Pasir Ris
- Flora Drive
- Loyang East
- Loyang West
- Pasir Ris Central
- Pasir Ris Drive
- Pasir Ris Park
- Pasir Ris Wafer Fab Park
- Pasir Ris West
- Paya Lebar
- Airport Road, Singapore
- Paya Lebar East
- Paya Lebar North
- Paya Lebar West
- Plab
- Tampines
- Central Water Catchment
- Lim Chu Kang
- Mandai
- Mandai East
- Mandai Estate
- Mandai West
- Sembawang
- Admiralty
- Sembawang Central
- Sembawang East
- Sembawang North
- Sembawang Spring
- Sembawang Straits
- Senoko North
- Senoko South
- The Wharves
- Simpang
- Pulau Seletar
- Simpang North
- Simpang South
- Tanjong Irau
- Sungei Kadut
- Woodlands
- Greenwood Park
- Midview
- North Coast
- Senoko West
- Woodgrove
- Woodlands East
- Woodlands Regional Centre
- Woodlands South
- Woodlands West
- Yishun
- Khatib
- Lower Seletar
- Nee Soon
- Northland
- Springleaf
- Yishun Central
- Yishun East
- Yishun South
- Yishun West
- Ang Mo Kio
- Ang Mo Kio Town Centre
- Cheng San
- Chong Boon
- Kebun Baru
- Sembawang Hills
- Shangri-la
- Tagore
- Townsville, Singapore
- Yio Chu Kang
- Yio Chu Kang East
- Yio Chu Kang North
- Yio Chu Kang West
- Hougang
- Defu Industrial Park
- Hougang Central
- Hougang East
- Hougang West
- Kangkar
- Kovan
- Lorong Ah Soo
- Lorong Halus
- Tai Seng
- Trafalgar
- North-Eastern Islands
- Punggol
- Coney Island
- Matilda
- Northshore
- Punggol Canal
- Punggol Field
- Punggol Town Centre
- Waterway East
- Seletar
- Pulau Punggol Barat
- Pulau Punggol Timor
- Seletar
- Aerospace Park
- Sengkang
- Anchorvale
- Compassvale
- Fernvale
- Jalan Kayu
- Lorong Halus North
- Rivervale
- Sengkang Town Centre
- Sengkang West
- Serangoon
- Lorong Chuan
- Seletar Hills
- Serangoon Central
- Serangoon Garden
- Serangoon North
- Serangoon North Industrial Estate
- Upper Paya Lebar
- Boon Lay
- Bukit Batok
- Bukit Panjang
- Bangkit
- Dairy Farm
- Fajar
- Jelebu
- Nature Reserve
- Saujana
- Senja
- Choa Chu Kang
- Clementi
- Clementi Central
- Clementi North
- Clementi West
- Clementi Woods
- Faber
- Pandan
- Sunset Way
- Toh Tuck
- West Coast
- Jurong East
- Jurong West
- Pioneer
- Benoi Sector
- Gul Basin
- Gul Circle
- Joo Koon
- Pioneer Sector
- Tengah
- Tuas
- Tengeh
- Tuas Bay
- Tuas North
- Tuas Promenade
- Tuas View
- Tuas View Extension
- Western Islands
- Western Water Catchment