36 Interesting Facts

Have you tried out the tasty treats sold at Geylang Serai's annual Ramadan Bazaar?

Geylang Serai is one of Singapore's oldest Malay settlements. Lemongrass ('Serai') used to be a major crop here and the settlement supposedly drew its name from –

This was due to the many Eurasians who lived there in the 1960s.

How much do you know about Eunos?

He was known as the father of modern Malay journalism and a leader of Malay nationalism.

It houses historical buildings from a variety of cultures, including the façade of the Former Queen's Theatre, beautiful pre-war shop houses, and places of worship such as the Khadjah Mosque, Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace and the Soon Thian Kheng Temple.

– in Malay, reflecting how much the area has changed over the years: from the rural settlements of long ago to the urbanised residences of today.

– there may have been a junction of three roads or three pathways here in the past.

As you can guess, there were many vegetable and hawker sellers here in the 20th century.

During the Japanese Occupation, people started planting the crop in the area.

Inspired by the demolished colourful HDB blocks at Rochor Centre, blocks in Chai Chee Road and Chai Chee Avenue are being

– before the land was sold to the Frankel family in 1912. They were prominent Jewish entrepreneurs known for their philanthropy who helped develop the nearby Opera Estate.

and was impressed by the beautiful coconut palms found there. Frankel-ly, Einstein's mind was also a beautiful thing to be impressed by.

Block 1 East Coast Road is one of the oldest public housing blocks in Joo Chiat. While the other 3 blocks will be demolished,

Figaro Street is named after a famous Mozart opera, while Jalan Bintang Tiga is named after a popular Malay Bangsawan!

which means 'dark one' or 'the darkness that conceals'. It's believed the name originated from a solar eclipse when the village was founded in 1821.

For any fan of Impressionist Art – head down to Block 55/56 Pipit Road and you can find replicas of Van Gogh's masterpieces, including "Starry Night", "Self-Portrait" and "Sunflowers", at Singapore's first ever "void deck art gallery". In May 2024, residents and volunteers restored the murals and created nine new paintings, such as "Portrait of Dr. Gachet" and "Red Vineyard at Aries". How Gogh-geous!

on the other hand, is Block 37 Circuit Road, with a humongous 584 units!

Did you know that the longest common corridor in the whole Town can be found at Block 121 Paya Lebar Way?

Sometimes, it's good to be long-winded.

MacPherson used to be called Jalan Klapa (Coconut Road).

These are playgrounds shaped like dragons that were built in the 1970s. You can find one of them right here in MacPherson at Block 53 Pipit Road!

The Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple can be found in Marine Parade.

Thanks to community efforts, wayfinding murals with Peranakan motifs, such as slippers or tingkat, were created at Blks 51 to 55 Marine Terrace. These make it easier for people living with dementia to orientate themselves while moving around. You can also find 12 Go-To Points in Marine Parade that supports dementia awareness and provide any assistance necessary.

Fun at high heights can be found if you stop by the vertical playground at Carpmael Park.

Here, you'll find pastel-decked, low-slung Peranakan-style shophouses dating back to the 1920s. It's all very insta-worthy!

This kickstarted various improvement works in the Town, such as the levelling of walkways and the implementations of additional handrails, to create a more elderly-friendly environment.