Singapore Hotels & Malaysia Hotels
About Singapore Malaysia

SINGAPORE ATTRACTIONS 4

Cathedral of the Good Shepherd This cathedral was Singapore's first permanent Catholic church. Built in the 1840s, it brought together many elements of a fractured parish. In 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 French Bishop was reduced to holding services at the home of a ,Mr. McSwiney on Bras Basalt Road; a dissenting Portuguese priest held forth at a certain Dr. d'Ameida's residence; and the Spanish priest was so reduced that we don't even know wherc he held his services. These folks were none too pleased with then- 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 Covent 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 resident's Quarters and the Priests' Residence, the latter more ornate in design. with elaborate plasterwork. 4 Queen St., at the corner of Queen St. and Bras Basah Rd. 6516337-2036. Open to the public during the day.

CHIJMES (Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus) As you enter this bustling enclave of recall shops, restaurants, and nightspots, it's difficult to imagine this ,was once a convent which, at its founding in 1854, consisted of a lone, simply constructed bungalow. After decades of buildings and add-ons, this collection of unique vet perfectly blended structures-a school, a private residence, an orphanage, a stunning Gothic chapel, and many others-were enclosed within walls, torming peaceful courtyards and open spaces encompassing an entire city block. Legend has it the small door on the corner of Bras Basah and Victoria streets Welcomed hundreds of orphan babies, girl children who were born during inauspicious years or to poor families who just appeared on the stoop each morning. In late 1)83> the convent relocated to the suburbs, and some of the block was Icveled to make way for the MR-I' 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 architecture. For an wening our, the atmosphere at CHIJMES is exquisitely romantic. At the same time, vou can enjoy a special decadence when you party in one of the popular bars here.

A note on the name: HIJMES is pronounced "Chimes"; the "Chij," as noted, stands for Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, and the "mes" was just added on so they could pronounce it "Chimes." 30 Victoria St. Free admission. 6516337-7810.
1 2 3 4