What if this statue could talk? The Raffles’ Landing Site Statue would tell a tale of ambition trade and transformation.
This is the Raffles’ Landing Site Statue. It marks the spot where Sir Stamford Raffles is believed to have first set foot in Singapore. Tradition says that January 28 1819 was the day that changed Singapore’s destiny forever.
Raffles landed here with a vision. He saw the potential of this obscure fishing village. He imagined a great seaport and a modern metropolis. With the help of William Farquhar he negotiated a treaty. The treaty was with the local rulers Temenggong Abdul Rahman and Sultan Hussein Shah. This marked the beginning of Singapore’s journey to becoming a global hub.
The Raffles’ Landing Site Statue you see before you is not the original. The original bronze statue was created by Thomas Woolner. It was unveiled at the Padang in 1887. This commemorated Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. The eight-foot-tall bronze figure quickly earned a nickname. Locals called it “orang besi”. That is Malay for “iron man”.
In 1919 the original Raffles statue was moved. It was relocated to Empress Place during Singapore’s centenary celebrations. The statue was placed in front of Victoria Memorial Hall.
During the Japanese Occupation the original statue was removed. It was stored in a museum storeroom. Some feared the Japanese would melt it down for the war effort. Thankfully it survived. In 1946 the original Raffles statue was reinstalled at Empress Place.
This polymarble replica at Raffles’ Landing Site was unveiled in 1972. It stands on the north bank of the Singapore River. This marks the location where Raffles is believed to have landed.
There is some debate about the exact Raffles’ Landing Site. Some claim he landed at the mouth of the Rochor River in Kallang. This claim is based on the Cho Clan Archives. It states that Raffles ordered his ship’s carpenter Chow Ah Chi to plant the British East India Company flag. Raffles supposedly followed Chow’s route to the Kallang Basin.
Regardless of the exact location the impact of Raffles’ arrival is undeniable. The plaque here at the Raffles’ Landing Site says it all. It reads “On this historic site Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles first landed in Singapore on 28th January 1819 and with genius and perception changed the destiny of Singapore from an obscure fishing village to a great seaport and modern metropolis.”
So as you stand here at the Raffles’ Landing Site take a moment to reflect. Consider the vision of one man and the transformation of a nation. The Raffles’ Landing Site Statue serves as a reminder of Singapore’s past present and future.