Raffles' Landing Site

Raffles' Landing Site is a historic riverside monument on the north bank of the Singapore River at Boat Quay in the Downtown Core's Civic District. It marks the traditional spot where Sir Stamford Raffles landed on 28 January 1819, an event regarded as the founding of modern Singapore. The site features a white polymarble statue of Raffles erected in 1969, plaques, and open promenade views across the river toward Boat Quay.

Visitors can expect an open, paved riverside plaza on the north bank of the Singapore River with a white polymarble statue of Sir Stamford Raffles, commemorative plaques, and interpretive signage. The setting is an urban waterfront promenade with views across the river to Boat Quay shophouses, Cavenagh Bridge, and the Civic District skyline. The area is fully outdoors, walkable, and suitable for brief sightseeing, photography, and viewing the riverfront.

Traditionally identified as the site where Sir Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company landed on 28 January 1819, leading to the establishment of a British trading post and the founding of modern Singapore. A bronze statue by Thomas Woolner was originally erected on the Padang in 1887 and later moved to Victoria Theatre; a white polymarble replica was placed at the Landing Site in 1969 to mark the 150th anniversary of the landing.

Widely recognized as a symbolic marker of the founding of modern Singapore and a focal point for understanding the city's colonial-era history. The statue and riverside site are frequently visited as part of Civic District heritage trails and serve as a photographic landmark representing Singapore's historical narrative.