Padang, Singapore

The Padang (Malay for 'field') is an open playing field located within the Downtown Core of the Central Area in Singapore. It includes the Padang Cricket Ground. The Padang is surrounded by several important landmarks, which include Saint Andrew's Cathedral, City Hall, the Old Supreme Court Building and the City Hall MRT station.

Padang, Singapore
Location of Padang, Singapore in Singapore
Type	Open playing field
Location	Connaught Drive, Singapore 179861
Coordinates	1°17′24.92″N 103°51′10.19″E / 1.2902556°N 103.8528306°E / 1.2902556; 103.8528306Coordinates: 1°17′24.92″N 103°51′10.19″E / 1.2902556°N 103.8528306°E / 1.2902556; 103.8528306
Governing body	National Heritage Board
National monument of Singapore
Designated	9 August 2022; 7 months ago (2022-08-09)
Reference no.	75

An aerial view of Singapore, showing the Padang on the right, surrounded by Parliament House building, new and old Supreme Court Buildings and Swissôtel The Stamford.

A football match at the Padang set against the Singapore skyline

Old Supreme Court Building with the Padang, the New Supreme Court Building shown in the background

Due to its prime location and historical significance, it has been used as a venue for a variety of events, including the National Day Parades some years due to the first ever National Day Parade being held there in 1966, the recently-held Singapore's Golden Jubilee Year in 2015, and later in 2019 honouring the bicentennial anniversary since the founding of modern Singapore in 1819.^[1] Since 1995, it has been planned that the NDP would be held there for every five years, the main venue for that major event is at The Float @ Marina Bay (previously the Former National Stadium). On 4 November 2018, Padang hosted the live finals of the Chinese-Mandopop singing reality competition SPOP Sing!.^[2]

On 3 August 2019, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced that the Padang will be gazetted as a National Monument along with the Anderson Bridge, Cavenagh Bridge and the Elgin Bridge (collectively known as the Singapore River Bridges),^[3][4] due to the historical significance - these include the World War II surrender in 1945, National Day Parade and the signing of the country's formation in the British colony and self-independence. The Preservation of Monuments (Amendment) Act will allow open spaces or the whole of the area to be gazetted as national monuments, such as Fort Siloso and Padang.^[5][6]

On 8 August 2022, it was announced that the Padang would be gazetted as the nation's 75th national monument on 9 August, the 57th anniversary of the Republic's independence.^[7][8]

History

 

Aerial panorama of Singapore's Downtown Core

References

• Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2004), Toponymics – A Study of Singapore Street Names, Eastern University Press, ISBN 981-210-364-3

1. "NDP 2019 to be held at Padang". Today. Singapore. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
2. . toggle.sg. 4 November 2018. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
3. "Singapore River Bridges and the Padang to be gazetted as National Monuments" (PDF). NHB. 3 August 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
4. "Padang, Singapore River Bridges to be gazetted as national monuments". CNA. 3 August 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
5. "Singapore River Bridges gazetted as Singapore's 73rd National Monument" (PDF). NHB. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
6. Ang, Prisca (15 October 2019). "Another $15 million in restoration funds for owners of national monuments". The Straits Times. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
7. Ng Keng Gene (8 August 2022). "Padang to be gazetted as national monument on National Day". AsiaOne. from the original on 8 August 2022.
8. "The Padang". National Heritage Board. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2022.

 

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