Singapore: History

Discover a Complex and Unique History

Some of the earliest known historical records of Singapore call it Temasek or “Sea Town”, from the time of the first settlements in the 2nd century AD. During the 14th century however, this small but strategically located island earned a new name. Legend has it that a prince from Srivijaya, catching sights of an unknown animal and considering this auspicious, founded a city where it was spotted! He went on to name the city “Singapura” meaning “Lion City” in Sanskrit, after the animal.

Since the 20th century, the mythical creature Merlion has been the official mascot of Singapore, incorporating both the idea of the lion city and also the symbol of the fish, which represents the origins of Singapore as a fishing town. Take a guided tour of the Merlion Park with our experts and discover the importance of this symbol in representing the country and in advertising and tourism.

Singapore flourished as a trading post between the 14th and 17th centuries, welcoming everyone from the Dutch and the Chinese, to Arabs, Portuguese, and Buginese or Indonesians.

Singapore as we know it now, was founded in the 19th century under the British Empire. Lieutenant Governor Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles saw it as an important trading port, and the city began to be industrialized at an astonishing pace. Raffles built schools, churches and roads and helped turn Singapore into a bustling hub by allowing diverse languages and cultures to flourish. His efforts led Raffles’ name to become a part of Singapore’s history forever, even lending itself to the Financial District in Singapore City – Raffles Place. Developed in the 1820s, you can visit this historic central hub with our experts and discover how it has gone on to incorporate world banks, the Republic Plaza, the Fullerton Hotel Singapore, and the majority of the immense towering skyscrapers in the city.

Singapore gained independence as a republic in 1965, though it stayed within the Commonwealth. By the 1980s trade and the tourism industry was booming thanks in part to the opening of the Singapore Changi Airport and the formation of Singapore Airlines. The Port of Singapore became one of the biggest and is still one of the most important in the world.