Telok Ayer Market
Lau Pa Sat is a food court in the Financial District of Singapore. Bordered by Raffles Quay, Robinson Road, Cross Street and Boon Tat Street, Lau Pa Sat is housed in the former Telok Ayer Market, the largest Victorian filigree cast-iron structure in Southeast Asia.The first market in Singapore was actually located on the south bank of the Singapore River. It was moved to Teluk Ayer Bay when the government acquired the land for commercial use.
The first Telok Ayer Market was opened in 1825. At that time, the Telok Ayer Bay still existed. The market was just a simple wooden structure, 30 feet by 80 feet, with an attap roof, built of piling over the bay, with jetties that extend into the sea, to allow boats to unload their goods. Due to the material used which were not sturdy enough to face the elements, the building had to be repaired regularly. It remained in use until 1836, when a new building was commissioned.
The new Telok Ayer Market was designed by George Drumgoole Coleman. He came up with an octagonal design with ornamental columns at the entrance. Coleman's market building stood until 1879, when land reclamation called for its demolition. Telok Ayer Bay was reclaimed in a massive reclamation project which was carried out between 1878 and 1885. Mount Wallich and Mount Erskine were levelled, and the soil used to fill the bay. With land reclamation, the bay disappears, and Telok Ayer Street, which formerly runs along the beach, was all that remains to remind us of Telok Ayer Bay.
On the newly reclaimed land, municipal engineer James MacRitchie designed a new building for the market. He adopted Coleman's octagonal design, and added cast-iron supports to strengthen the structure. At the centre of the market, he added a fountain. That fountain stood in Telok Ayer Market until 1920, when it was moved to the Orchard Road market, which is now no longer in existence.
In 1973, the year the Telok Ayet Market was gazetted a National Monument, it was converted to a food centre. In 1986, it had to be closed down to make way for the construction of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line underneath. However, due to its historical and architectural significance, its cast-iron supports were put into storage.
When the MRT was completed in the late 1980s, the Telok Ayer Market was reconstructed. It stays faithful to James MacRitchie's and Coleman's octagonal design, and the cast-iron supports were reinstated. It was reopened in 1991, under the rebranded name of Lau Pa Sat, which means "Old Market" in Hokkien, the most commonly spoken Chinese dialect in Singapore. Lau Pa Sat was initially intended to be a festival market catering to tourists, but it reverted to being a food centre again since 1995.
Lau Pa Sat was gazetted a National Monument of Singapore on 6 July 1973.
Getting there
The nearest MRT stations are the Raffles Place Station (EW14 / NS26).
Sights in the Financial District
These are all the sights I've grouped under the Financial District of Singapore, which is part of the Central Business District (CBD), listed in alphabetical order. I would recommend that you visit them together.
* sights of considerable interest
* * sights of major interest
Anderson Bridge
Cavenagh Bridge
Clifford Pier
Fuk Tak Chi Museum
Lau Pa Sat *
Yueh Hai Ching Temple *
Shopping in the Financial District
The following are places where you can do a bit of shopping. These include places where the locals shop for their local items, but it provides an interesting glimpse of life in Singapore.
Far East Square
Associated Sites
Lau Pa Sat in AsiaExplorers
Lau Pa Sat in EarthDocumentary
Finding Accommodation in Singapore
If you're going to Singapore, you now have the option of finding accommodation in a hotel, or look for one in hostels and guesthouses. To book a room in a star-rated hotel, use the Singapore Hotel Guide for Budget Travelers. To find accommodation in a Hostel or Guesthouse, use the Singapore Guide to Hostels and Guesthouses. Each link provides detailed listing of the type of accommodation you can expect in Singapore. Be aware that you get what you pay for. If you need a certain degree of comfort, then a star-rated hotel may be an ideal option for you. On the other hand, if you are able to forego a bit of creature comfort, then hostels and guesthouses are clean, safe, and incredibly good value for money. For accommodation in other destinations, visit Hotel Guide for Budget Travelers or Hostels & Guesthouses Accommodation Guide.
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Lau Pa Sat (12 December 2004)
© Timothy Tye
Location Map of Lau Pa Sat
Lau Pa Sat (8 July 2006)
© Timothy Tye
Lau Pa Sat, front view (8 July 2006)
© Timothy Tye
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