Walk around the ol' Malay Settlement

Armed with my S2000 again, I decided to spend a laze afternoon walking around the area that used to be the Old Malay Settlement in the colonial days.

Hajjah Fatimah Mosque in Kampong Glam area

HAJJAH FATIMAH MOSQUE
I first read about this mosque was during my primary school days.

It was built in 1846 by a Malay businesswoman of the same name on a site where used to be her house.

If one is observant enough, the minaret is actually tilt slightly off the center.

The main entrance of the mosque (as I was not appropriately attired, I decided to snap whatever I could from outside the mosque premises).

A close-up shot of the minaret and the dome, according to some available materials it was mentioned that the remains of Hajjah Fatimah, her daughter and son-in-law are placed inside an enclosure of the mosque compound.

I made an effort to climb the top storey of a nearby block to snap this bird-eye view of the mosque.

As we can see from here, other than those lush vegetation surroundings, the mosque is surrounded by those modern high-rise buildings.

ALSAGOFF ARAB SCHOOL
Another prominent landmark around this area - Alsagoff Arab School (pictured above, established in 1912) facing the Textile Center.

One interesting fact is that Hajjah Fatimah's son-in-law is actually a member of Alsagoff clan, a prominent Arab family in the early days of Singapore.

ISTANA KAMPONG GELAM
This istana (palace in Malay) was once the residence of Sultan Hussein of Johor who signed the 1819 treaty with Sir Stafford Raffles that saw the East India Company established a port in Singapore, in return the former being recognized as the legitimate ruler of the Johor-Riau Sultanate.

GEDUNG KUNING (Yellow Mansion)
Located just outside the Istana Kampong Gelam, is a building used to called "Gedung Kuning" (Yellow Mansion in Malay).

This distinctive yellow-coloured building was built in the 1860s by Tengku Mahmoud, a grandson of Sultan Hussein Shah.

Presently, the mansion housed a restaurant called "Tepak Sireh"(literary translate as 'traditional sliverware to contain betel leaves).

MASJID SULTAN (Sultan Mosque)
The mosque was built by Sultan Hussein in 1826, although the present building was constructed in 1928 to cope with the needs of the Muslim community then.

Another shot of the mosque from another angle.

Took this shot of the mosque while standing on Bussorah Street, the main walk path that linked to the mosque from Beach Road.

HAJI LANE
To be honest, I really doubt anyone would give a hoot of this one-way street called - Haji Lane. But the fact is this place has an interesting history.

The reason why this placed is called Haji Lane is because in the past, many Muslims from this region would sail to Singapore before heading to Mecca for their pilgrimage.

Unfortunately, some of these pilgrimages due to some reasons could not make their way to the holy city, thus there was this saying in the past that.

WE COME TO SINGAPURA FOR OUR SMALL HAJ, BEFORE HEADING TO MECCA

While in Singapore, these group of people would stay in this place which is now called - Haji Lane.

The Haji Lane today is different from the past, with shops selling clothes and some fashion accessories.

The relics from the past ...

... that compliment the bold concept of the modern world.

And with the obscure surrounding, who cares what you're doing.