Do You Know?

Do you know that the Tan Kim Seng Fountain is not currently at its original site?

Built in 1882 in memory of Mr Tan Kim Seng who donated $13,000 towards the cost of Singapore's waterworks in 1857. It was originally at Fullerton Square.

In 1925, the fountain was moved to Queen Elizabeth Walk from its Fullerton Square location. This was due to the construction of the Fullerton Building. In this position, the fountain had a clear view of the waterfront.

As Singapore developed and land reclamation projects took placed, the seafront was pushed further out. Even the fountain was unable to withstand the passage of time as it too failed to function properly in the later years.

Source: Lu, G. (1999). Singapore – A Pictorial History (1819-2000). Singapore: Didier Millet.

In 1994, restoration work took place on the fountain to replace all the faulty and missing parts. It was officially reactivated on 5 Aug 1994.

Furthermore, with the construction of the the Marina Promenade and the Esplanade, the area which the fountain now stands was renamed Esplanade Park.