Top 5 Historical Facts of Saint Andrew's Cathedral In 1 Minute - The largest cathedral in Singapore!

The original church's foundation stone was placed on 9th November, 1835. The structure was designed and constructed by George D. Coleman who completed it in 1836. This church was named after Scotland's patron saint as the local Scottish people provided the early financial support to undertake this project. The inaugural church service was performed on 18th June, 1837, and was led by Reverend Edmund White who was the first chaplain. If you would like to find accommodation close to the cathedral, then check out a City Hall Hotel in Singapore the likes of Grand Park City Hall.

Maria Revere, who was the wife of American Consul, Joseph Balestier, presented a distinctive church bell to the original church. The letters "Revere Boston 1843" were engraved on this bell, and it was later referred to as the Revere Bell. John Turnbull Thomson erected a tower as well as a spire on this church back in 1842. Regrettably, there was no lightning conductor built, and this spire was hit by lightning, not once but twice; first in 1845 and then again in 1849. The building was deemed too dangerous and was closed to the public in 1852. It was demolished in the end. The property on which the chapel was erected is thought to have been provided by Singapore's first Arab settler known as Syed Sharif Omar bin Ali Al-Juneid, a property owner and tradesman.

The cathedral was converted into an emergency hospital in the days leading up to Singapore's surrender to the Japanese occupation back in February 1942. When the hospitals were congested, victims of the regular bombings were transported to the church for treatment. After Japan surrendered back in 1945, the church services at the cathedral were resumed.

Many dedications and memorials can be found on this cathedral grounds. Raffles, Major-General W. B. Butterworth, and John Crawfurd are honoured by stained-glass panels at the apse of the cathedral. A monument to MacPherson, the architect and designer, sits on the church grounds, and a glass at the entrance was created in his honour. The 1915 sepoy revolt in Singapore is commemorated with 18 tablets put up on the north wall and a pillar located on the left aisle. The War Memorial Wing honours WWII veterans. General Sir Gerald Templer, the High Commissioner for Malaya, and Malcolm MacDonald, the Commissioner-General for Southeast Asia, officially opened the building in 1952. Also, a plaque in the wing lists the names of Malayan Civil Service (MCS) members who have died in the line of duty.

The Quiet Places Project was started in 2003 in order to build an extension to serve an expanding congregation. Due to the original structure and grounds of the recognised cathedral cannot be amended, the S$12.5 million addition, dubbed Cathedral New Sanctuary, had to be erected mostly underground. Local archaeologists were given time to dig for probable relics prior to the start of installation in May of 2004. The expansion, which contains an 800-seat worship hall, a chapel, a prayer hall, and a visitors' centre, was finished in November of 2005.