South Bridge Road is located in Outram, near the Singapore River in Singapore’s central region. One of the thriving centres of the city in the heart of Chinatown, South Bridge Road was historically an important street. It was one of the main thoroughfares linking the town and New Harbour (Keppel Harbour). The road stretches south from Elgin Bridge to Maxwell Road, Tanjong Pagar Road and Neil Road.
History
South Bridge Road had been known in the early 1820s by this name, before a proper road was constructed. In early 1831, there were public complaints that the road was flooded knee-deep at high tides. Two years later, George Coleman, as the newly appointed superintendent of public works, headed the construction of North Bridge Road and South Bridge Road, which were built using convict labour.
Being the main street of Chinatown, many historic and important buildings line South Bridge Road. One of these is the Sri Mariamman Temple, which was first constructed out of wood and attap in 1827 and then converted into a brick-and-plaster temple in 1843. Another is Jamae Mosque, which began as a brick structure in 1826 but was completed as a simple brick-and-plaster building between 1830 and 1835. Both of these sites of worship are now preserved monuments. Other early landmarks on South Bridge Road were the Central Police Station, which was demolished in 1977 and replaced by the former Pidemco Centre in 1984; and the Criminal District and Police Courts, built in 1884 and torn down in 1975. Also along South Bridge Road is a classical three-storey building referred to as the Eu Yan Sang Building. Constructed in 1910, it has housed the Eu Yan Sang traditional Chinese pharmacy since then.
Maxwell MRT Station
The Maxwell MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) Station, which is part of the Thomson–East Coast Line, will be ready by 2021. The station is located underground, spanning the end of South Bridge Road to the start of Neil Road.
A Heritage piece not to be missed!
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