24 terms

Terms	Definitions
Fort Canning	Fort Canning (Chinese: 福康宁; pinyin: Fúkāngníng, Malay:Bukit Larangan, Tamil : Pokamutiyatha Arasarin Malai ) - Named after Viscount Charles John Canning, who was then Governor-General and the first Viceroy of India. - Small hill slightly more than 60 metres high in the southeast portion of the island city-state of Singapore, within the Central Area that forms Singapore's central business district. - Although small in physical size, it has a long history intertwined with that of the city-state due to its location as the highest elevation within walking distance to the city's civic district within the Downtown Core. - Popular venue for music shows and concerts.
Early history - 1400s Bukit Larangan "Forbidden Hill"	1200s - Temasek (Sea Town), Sang Nila Utama (passed away 1347), Singapura - Bukit Larangan "Forbidden Hill" - Local settlers were wary of ascending the hill as they believed it was the site of palaces built by their ancestral kings. - Keramat Iskandar Shah at the foot of the hill was believed to be the resting place of the last Malay king of the island, Iskandar Shah, and was venerated by Muslims.
Settlement and fortification - 1800s Government Hill	1819 - Raffles' Arrival 1820 - Decided to build a bungalow (made of wood at that time) [Government House, Raffles House] on top of hill due to; - Historical significance - Commanding view of Singapore River and surrounding areas - Beautiful and had cooler air - Therefore known as Government Hill * Raffles loved and respected the Hill and the Kramat so much that in an 1823 letter to London, he wrote that should he die in Singapore, he would be content if his body " had the honour of mixing with the ashes of the Malayan kings." - Insider's Singapore, David Brazil
Settlement and fortification - 1822 Singapore's First Botanic Garden	- Current Spice Garden (Actual Site) - Raffles was an keen botanist. - Brainchild of Nathaniel Wallich, a Dane - Superintendent of the Royal Gardens in Calcutta in 1815 - Came to Singapore n 1822, wrote to Raffles and recommended that a botanic and experimental garden be established. - Offered to act as superintendent of the garden
Settlement and fortification - 1800s Anecdote	When Singapore's first British Resident William Farquhar ordered the trees and thick undergrowth to be cleared in 1820, Malay workforce stopped after they uncovered the kramat, insisting that this was a royal tomb and the hill was not meant to be walked upon by commoners. Farquhar had to summon Malaccan workmen to finish the clearing task, afterwhich a cannon was hauled up to the hilltop. This was fired a dozen times, then a union Jack hoisted up a flagpole - and the hill's 'forbidden' mystique thereby dispelled. - Insider's Singapore, David Brazil
Settlement and fortification - 1860s Fort Canning	1859 - Increased security concerns led to hill taking on a military role with the demolition of the governor's residence and building of a fort with an arms store, barracks and hospital. 1860 - Renamed after Viscount Charles John Canning, who was then Governor-General and the first Viceroy of India.
Settlement and fortification - 1900s Fort Canning	- Served as the headquarters of Singapore Base District for the British Army until spread of WW2 into Asia Pacific in 1941. - Japanese also used the fort for its military until end of Occupation in 1945 - British resumed control after War until handing over to Singaporean military in 1963 - Home to Headquarters of the 4th Malaysian Infantry Brigade until December 1966 when it was handed over to SAF. - SAF proceeded to build the Singapore Command and Staff College on the fort which offically opened on 13 February 1970.
Fort Canning Today Reservoir	The Fort Canning Service Reservoir (Chinese: 福康宁备水池) is located on top of Fort Canning Hill in Singapore. The reservoir was constructed in 1926 on the former site of a large artillery barracks and parade ground to help supplement the large impounding reservoirs. Water is pumped from the large reservoirs into the service reservoirs, thus enabling water to flow down the hill into houses. before this reservoir was built, a spring gushing from the south west side of this hill served as an important source of water for centuries
Fort Canning Today Highlights Spice Garden	- A replica and actual site of the first experimental botanical garden established by Sir Stamford Raffles. - Raffles had noble ambitions for Singapore's agricultural development and had sent from Bencoolen spices like clove plants and nutmeg seeds to be planted in the garden.
Fort Canning Today Highlights Gothic Gates	- Built in 1846, designed by Captain Charles Edward Faber - Lead visitor into Fort Canning Green where a Christian cemetary used to stand. - Landmark of Fort Canning - Letters above both gates - IHS - stands for Iota Heta Sigm, the first three letters of the Greek works for Jesus.
Fort Canning Today Highlights Fort Canning Green	- Once a graveyard for about 600 Christian graves. - Southern half allocated to Anglican community. - Graves removed in 1970s - Some tombstones that were removed were set into the walls surrounding Fort Canning Green, one-third of them chinese Christians - Only graves left are at the far end of the Green (near the Drama Centre) - Currently the venue of choice for carnivals, starlight cinemas, Ballet Under the Stars perfomances, F1Rocks, etc. - WOMAD (World of Music, Arts And Dance) regular fixture since 1998. + Upcoming events; + Retrolicius by Class 95.fm - 8 October 2011 - Bananarama, The Huamn League, Belinda Carlisle + F1Rocks - 23, 24 25 September 2011 - Linkin Park, Sharice, Shakira, Shaggy, Rick Astley, Boy George and many others.
Fort Canning Today Highlights Cupolas	- Cupola means small dome-shaped roof or ceiling - Designed by George Drumgoole Coleman - No specific purpose nor date of construction - Probably meant as places to rest and enjoy peace and quiet of the hill. - Other structures designed by Coleman in the park, specifically the Christian cemetery; - fencing of the burial ground - 2 gateways to the cemetery - Armenian Church - private house which having been enlarged and modified became the Parliament House and now The Arts House
Fort Canning Today Highlights James Brooke Napier Memorial	- Dedicated to the infant son of William Napier, Singapore's first Law Agent and Maria Frances Napier, widow of George Coleman. - Largest in the cemetery, reflecting the status of William Napier.
Fort Canning Today Highlights Fort Canning Centre	- Used to be the barracks of the British army - Currently houses the Singapore Dance Theatre
Fort Canning Today Highlights Underground Far East Command Centre (The Battle Box)	- Used by Lieutenant General Arthur Ernest Percival as commanding base during WW2. - one of the most extensive underground operations complex built by the British in Singapore - Comprises 22 rooms, linked by a main corridor and leading to other smaller sections - bombproof structure capable of recycling its own air supply if all the doors had to be shut during gas attacks - Spruced up and open to public in 1992 to mark 50th anniversary of The Fall of Singapore. - Almost exactly the same internal state as that grim Sunday in 15 February 1942 when Lt-Gen Percival after deciding at a 9.30am meeting that dwindling water and food supplies meant that Britain must surrender Singapore to Japan. - Insider's Singapore, David Brazil
Fort Canning Today Highlights Sally Port	- The word "sally" means to make a sudden, vigorous exit. - Small hidden door that leads in or out of a fort, allowing occupants to escape from the fort or to make a surprise attack undetected. - Fort Canning had at least 3 sally ports; - one outside Battle Box - one on the northwest side of the hill - one on the south near Hill Street - Only one remains today (Battle Box)
Fort Canning Today Highlights Fort Gate	The Gate, adjoining wall and the sally port are all that remain of the fortress that occupied this hill from 1861 to 1926 when it was demolished to make way for the reservoir Some 400 coolies were mobilised in leveling the 300 hectares of hilltop and constructing the elaborate fort complex of barrack blocks, hospital, gunpowder magazines and supporting artillery Look behind the Fort Gate's massive wooden door for the narrow stairway leading to the roof.
Fort Canning Today Highlights Fort Wall	- Construction began on 1st March 1859 (Governor was still living there) - There was a moat outside the fort which has completely disappeared. - Construction completed in 1860 - Low thick wall meant to withstand artillery bombardment rather than to repel an infantry attack - Constructed of granite on the outside, with an earthen fill to absorb cannon balls ans a brick facing on the interior. - The fort had 2 purposes; to protect Singapore from attack by the sea, and to give Singapore's European community a refuge in case of local disturbances such as the Indian Mutiny of 1957
Fort Canning Today Highlights The Parit Singapora	Ancient Malay and Chinese sources mentioned that Singapore had a moat and wall. It ran along the edge of a stream called "Fresh Water Stream" which was probably the Parit Singapura (Moat of Singapore) Part of the moat run up to the side of Fort Canning Hill but whether this trench here is related to the moat is not know with certainty
Fort Canning Today Highlights South Battery	- Located in Raffles' front yard - Main battery of guns which defended Singapore in the 19th century was erected in this area. - In 1867, the fort had; - Seven 68-pounder guns - Eight 8-inch guns - Two 13-inch mortars - Some 14-pounder cannonades. - A cannon was fired 3 times a day at 5.00am, 1.00pm and 9.00pm to announce the hour. - Guns were mounted on carriages which could be pivoted to enable the guns to cover a wide area of fire. - Due to the peaceful conditions of the late 19th century and early 20th century, the guns were never used against an enemy. - The only times they were fired was to salute important visitors, signal time of the day and to warn of town fires.
Fort Canning Today Highlights 9-pound Cannon	-One of a pair of cannons used as decorations for the main gate of Fort canning. - Meant to shoot 9-pound cannon balls. - Not used at Fort Canning - Dates from the early 19th century -Obsolete before Fort Canning was built - Probably was used at an earlier fortification, such as "Scandal Point", which was once at the east end of the Padang.
Fort Canning Today Highlights Raffles Terrace, Raffles House	Raffles chose to build his bungalow here for the beautiful view it commanded, and the site served as residence for a long line of Governors. As you stroll along, imagine the superb view of the town below, bustling with horses and carriages, bullock carts, sailing vessels, and the vast panorama of harbour folk plying their wares back in 19th-century Singapore. - Currently a venue of choice for small events and gatherings such as weddings.
Fort Canning Today Highlights Keramat Iskandar Syah/ Kramat Iskandah Shah (Also known as Parameswara before he converted to Islam)	- Kramat means " sacred place" in Malay - Traditional burial ground of a revered leader - Uncertain who is buried here though some people believe this to be the resting place of Iskandar Syah, a ruler of Temasek. - Well cared for by admirers who treat it as a royal tomb. - Decorated with the Malay royal colour of yellow and with lavish flower displays. - 1990 - Structure sheltered by a 14th century styled malay roof, called a "pendopo" - Supported by 20 wooden pillars carved in a fighting cock motive of Javanese origin was erected in - Iskandar Syah was the last of 5 kings who ruled Singapore during the 14th century. - Singapore was attacked by Siamese but Iskandar Syah escaped and founded another kingdom, Melaka. - Although named after him, scholars thought that the keramat could not be his as he died in Melaka.
Fort Canning Today Highlights Archaeological Excavation Site	- Started in 1984 by archaeologist John Miksic and his team - Continues today - Artifacts found; - pieces of glass, - Chinese porcelian - Malay pottery - Javanese jewellery - brass coins - flecks of gold - Artifacts show that there could have been a Malay Kingdom on Fort Canning Hill, with possibility of glass and gold workshops

Flickr Creative Commons Images

Some images used in this set are licensed under the Creative Commons through Flickr.com. Click to see the original works with their full license.

• "Fort Canning" image
• "Early history - 1400s
  Bukit Larangan "Forbidden Hill"" image
• "Settlement and fortification - 1800s
  Government Hill" image
• "Settlement and fortification - 1822
  Singapore's First Botanic Garden" image
• "Settlement and fortification - 1860s
  Fort Canning" image
• "Settlement and fortification - 1900s
  Fort Canning" image
• "Fort Canning Today
  Reservoir" image
• "Fort Canning Today
  Highlights
  Gothic Gates" image
• "Fort Canning Today
  Highlights
  Fort Canning Green" image
• "Fort Canning Today
  Highlights
  Cupolas" image
• "Fort Canning Today
  Highlights
  Fort Canning Centre" image
• "Fort Canning Today
  Highlights
  Sally Port" image

This product uses the Flickr API but is not endorsed or certified by Flickr.