St Andrew's Cathedral
Raffles earmarked this plot in 1822, three years after Singapore's founding; lightning struck the original church twice (1845 and 1849) and left it unsafe; the 1856 replacement just finished a two-year restoration and rededicated its nave on Christmas Eve 2023.
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Sir Stamford Raffles earmarked this exact parcel in his 1822 Town Plan. The original neo-classical church, designed by George Drumgoole Coleman, was struck by lightning in 1845 and 1849, declared unsafe, and demolished in 1855. The replacement (1856–1861) now serves as mother church to 27 parishes across the Anglican Diocese of Singapore, and its Cathedral Nave was rededicated by Bishop Titus Chung on Christmas Eve 2023 after more than two years of restorative work.
What to look for
- The Cathedral Nave: restored and rededicated on 24 December 2023 after more than two years of restorative works.
- The St Andrew's Cross in the cathedral logo, a direct nod to Scotland's patron saint and the Scottish community whose donations named and funded the original 1836 church.
- The site boundaries: the church sits between North Bridge Road and St Andrew's Road, placing it at the heart of the Downtown Core Raffles laid out two centuries ago.
Near City Hall in the Downtown Core; the cathedral is a functioning Anglican church, so visit outside service times for a quieter look at the nave.
St Andrew's Cathedral is one of 30 sights worth the detour in Singapore, all bundled offline in Voyage GO — download the Singapore pack and it sits on your map with no signal, filling your travel passport the moment you walk past.
More to see in Singapore
- Singapore Botanic GardensThe world's only tropical UNESCO garden — where 1920s rubber supplied half the planet's latex and orchids now carry diplomats' names.
- Marina Bay SandsA 150-metre infinity pool balanced on the world's largest public cantilevered platform, jutting 66.5 metres past the edge of its own tower.
- Marina Bay Street CircuitLewis Hamilton said this 4.927 km loop was twice as physically punishing as Monaco — and you can walk every metre of it.
- Marina BayThe entire bay you're standing beside was open sea until 1992 — 38 years of reclamation drained the anchorage and pushed the Singapore River's mouth inland.
- Gardens by the BayThe world's largest glass greenhouse anchors a 105-hectare park on Singapore's Marina Reservoir.
- Singapore FlyerFor six years this was the tallest Ferris wheel on earth — Las Vegas finally beat it in 2014, by just 2.6 metres.