In Malay, 'Kampong' means village. 'Glam' is the name of a type of eucalyptus tree that grew abundantly there. Villagers used its timber for building boats, its bark for awnings and sails and its leaves boiled to concoct into medicated oil- Cajeput oil.
Under Raffles Town Plan 1822, Kampong Glam was designated to Sultan Hussein Shah and his family as well as the Malay communities and Arab merchants immigrants.
The first thing that caught my attention was the two 8m-high granite arches with ornate Omani cravings standing on both ends of Muscat Street. These beautiful murals and mosaic images displayed the maritime links between Oman and Singapore, an artwork by Omani artists. This newly renovated street was officially opened on 8 November 2012.
Walk down Muscat Street will bring you to the heart of Kampong Glam - Masjid Sultan.
Masjid Sultan or The Sultan Mosque was first built in 1820's. Demolished a century later, it was then reconstructed until its completion in 1928. It has since remained unchanged and was gazetted as a national monument in 1975. Presently, being the largest and most important mosque in Singapore that can accommodate 5,000 worshipers in its main hall.
The base of each gold dome were ornamented with glass bottles' ends which the Sultan had collected from poor Muslims as contributions to the building of the mosque.
*Please read the important rules of etiquette when visiting or entering the mosque.
Bussorah Street viewed directly opposite the Mosque. A wide pedestrian street fringed by tall palm treesand two storey pre-war shop houses where you can find art galleries, crafts, curios, perfume, religious items (for Muslims), cafes and restaurants.
Viewed from the other side of the street with the Sultan Mosque at the northern end.
Souvenirs shops outside the mosque.
Watch a colourful Batik Painting. Then walk to the Malay Heritage Centre at Sultan Gate.
Istana Kampong Glam, now known as The Malay Heritage Centre was formerly a Royal Palace built by Sultan Hussein Shah in 1820's which consisted of the Istana building and the Istana compound. It was rebuilt in 1840 by the Sultan's son, Sultan Ali.
The Istana building was restored and renovated to a museum showcasing the root, history and rich Malay culture.
For more information: http://www.malayheritage.org.sg
Next to the Malay Heritage centre is the historical Gedung Kuning, also known as Bendahara House. A yellow mansion built in 1860 that once belong to the grandson of Sultan Hussein. It has then been converted to a fine-dining authentic Malay cuisine restaurant called Mamanda - a term used by the Sultan to address his subjects.
Lastly, i took a walk down Arab Street- where Arab merchants settled during early days. Arab Street today still epitomizes the Arabian way of life with rows of shops selling varieties of Arabian goods - rugs, carpets, silk, non-alcoholic perfumes, jewelry, baskets, textiles, Muslim apparels and numerous Middle-Eastern eateries where you can sit down to sip Arabic Mint hot tea, indulge in true Arab coffee or smoke a Shisha pipe.
Kampong Glam certainly has a rich heritage that passed down through generations in the form of monuments, trades, cultures and practices. A little gem for a little cultural exploration in the historic district of Singapore that's well worth the time spent!
NOTE:
1. Admission to Sultan Mosque:Daily 9am-1pm and 2pm-4pm except Friday 2:30pm-4pm.
2. Observe the rules before entering the mosque.
3. Best time to visit Kampong Glam is late afternoon - evening.
4. Shops along Arab streets are closed on Sundays.
5. Accept a country's culture. Don't complain.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Take a MRT train/bus to BUGIS station. Walk along Victoria Street towards Arab Street.
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