Dalhousie Obelisk

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Sight Address : 1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555, Singapore.Edit

Detail InformationEdit

The Dalhousie Obelisk (Chinese: 达豪施纪念碑) is a memorial obelisk in the Civic District of Singapore, located on the north bank of the Singapore River in the Downtown Core, within the Central Area in Singapore’s central business district.The obelisk is situated at Empress Place, near the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, and the Anderson Bridge near the mouth of the Singapore River.The Dalhousie Obelisk is situated in the Civic District of Singapore and was built to commemorate the second visit of Marquis of Dalhousie in February 1850. The Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856, the Marquis of Dalhousie was accompanied by his wife, with the objective to consider ways to cut down on administrative expenditure. The memorial obelisk built also served as a reminder to all merchants of the benefits of free trade.An important architectural element designed by John Turnbull Thomson when he was a Government Surveyor, it is believed that the design was modelled after “Cleopatra’s Needle” on the Thames Embankment in London, which might explain the British influences in its tall, needle-like architectural structure. And with four decorative pinnacle lamps around all corners, it’s also a great spot for photo opportunities.First sited at the Dalhousie Pier at the mouth of the Singapore River where the Merlion Park used to be, it was relocated to Empress Place near the Asian Civilisation Museum to make way for the construction of Connaught Drive in 1890.

Dalhousie Obelisk

HistoryEdit

The Dalhousie Obelisk was built to commemorate the second visit to Singapore, in February 1850, of the Marquis of Dalhousie, who was the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856. He was accompanied by his wife, the Marchioness, and the objective of the visit was to consider the reduction of administrative expenditure.However, prominent merchants and traders, who felt that Singapore’s infrastructure was not keeping pace with its economic development, wanted Dalhousie to exert his influence in their favour. To win over Dalhousie, they renamed the pier by which he came ashore Dalhousie Ghaut and marked it with a commemorative obelisk. The memorial was also built to remind succeeding merchants of the benefits of free trade.The Dalhousie Obelisk was first sited at Dalhousie Ghaut (also known as Dalhousie Pier). In 1886, land reclamation for the building of Connaught Drive included the part of the Singapore River where the obelisk stood. To save the obelisk for posterity, it was removed to another site on the same line but nearer the sea wall, where the Cenotaph is now. In 1891, it was moved again, this time on the instruction of Governor Sir Cecil Clementi Smith, to its present site in front of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, after the Anderson Bridge was built in 1909.

Must SeeEdit

Popular

Visiting TimeEdit

Daily 24 hrs.

Closed OnEdit

N.A.

Best Season to VisitEdit

June to July and November to December.

Best Time To VisitEdit

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Time Required for SightseeingEdit

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Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult : N.A.

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Guide Required : No Edit

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Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

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How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Taxis are generally very hard to get during peak hours (Mon-Fri 7:00am – 9:30am and Mon-Sat 5:00pm – 8:00pm) and on rainy days. If you are at a hotel, have conceirge call you a taxi. If you are out about town and have access to a cell phone- calling for a taxi will cut your wait time by 20 to 30 minutes. All taxis are fitted with meters; all are air conditioned; the majority of the taxis are 5-seaters; about 90% of taxis have radiophones; call booking is done via GPS or digital voice dispatch. All passengers must fasten their seat belts by law.
For taxi Booking fee is SGD $2.3. Minimum fare for taxi is SGD $3 for first 1Km. Fare above minimum fare until 10Km is SGD $0.55 per Km. Fare above 10Km is charge SGD $0.628 per Km. Taxi Waiting charges per hour is SGD $17.6. Peak Hours charges is diffrent.

Bus : Public buses run daily from 5.30am to midnight. Extended night services cost slightly more (a flat rate ranging from $1.50-$3.00). Otherwise, most fares depend on distance travelled and range from 67 cents to $1.58 for air-conditioned comfort (almost all public buses in Singapore have air-conditioning today). There are also “feeder” bus services that charge a flat rate of 67 cents. Each bus should not take more than 15 to 20 minutes to arrive at the bus stop.

Train : Singapore MRT system is very well connected to different parts of Singapore and very clean! If you have the time and plan to explore around little Sunny island, get the the Singapore Tourist Pass!
It runs 6am-12mn, fares start at S$1 (70cents in EZ link). Tickets can be purchased in all MRT stations. You just have to insert your money through the ticket machine. Rush hour’s usually 7am-9am, 11am-2pm and 4pm-7pm.

Air : Changi Airport is the country’s main airport. From the airport there are a number of ways to get into the city:
Taxi is easiest – simply follow the signs after clearing customs. Meters are always used in Singapore and prices are reasonable. A trip to the city during the day will be between $20-$30 including $3-5 airport surcharge. An additional 50% surcharge applies between midnight and 06:00.
Limousines charge a flat $50 to anywhere in the city and are a pretty good deal after midnight, as you can skip the queue and avoid the surcharge. The same pricing applies to chartering van-sized MaxiCabs, which are good for large families or if you have lots of baggage.
Shuttle – Shared six-seater MaxiCab shuttle service to designated areas/hotels costs $7 and can be booked in advance or in the arrivals hall. 6AM-2AM, every 15-30 min.
Subway – MRT trains run from a station between T2 and T3, but you’ll need to change trains at Tanah Merah to a city-bound train: just exit through the left hand side door and cross the platform. The 30 min ride to City Hall station costs $1.90 plus a refundable $1 deposit, and trains run 05:31-23:18.
Bus – Bus terminals can be found in the basements of T1, T2 and T3. 06:00-23:59 only. Fares are less than $2.00, exact fare required (no change given) if you pay cash.

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