Disappearing Places in Singapore: Bukit Brown Cemetery
Bukit Brown Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Singapore, the first grave dating to 1833. It is estimated to house 100,000 tombs in a vast landsize of about 0.86 square kilometers but it has been abandoned since its closure in 1973. Since then, it has been home to much biodiversity.
Many notable Chinese pioneers are buried here such as Tan Lark Sye, entrepreneur and co-founder of Nanyang University, Chew Joo Chiat (Joo Chiat estate), Gan Eng Seng (Gan Eng Seng School) and Chew Boon Lay (Boon Lay new town).
In September last year, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced the plan to construct a new road, to cut through part of Bukit Brown. More than 3000 tombs are affected. And next-of-kin are registering claims. Exhumation will begin in early 2013. The area is also gazetted for public housing in 20 years time. Although I've only been recently accquainted with it - it will nevertheless be sad to lose this part of our heritage in the march of 'progress'.
So in a bid to find out more about this bit of Singapore's heritage, I went exploring there last year. (But haven't had time to post pictures till now!) As you can see from the pictures below, it's very different from what you'd expect to find in modern Singapore. It felt kindda surreal, actually. Only a few graves seem to show signs of recent maintanece; the overgrown plants seem to swallow up human history.
Grave being taken over by nature
A guardian for the dead
The rolling landscape (the graves are far in the background)
Information on Bukit Brown from: here, here and LTA update.
Many notable Chinese pioneers are buried here such as Tan Lark Sye, entrepreneur and co-founder of Nanyang University, Chew Joo Chiat (Joo Chiat estate), Gan Eng Seng (Gan Eng Seng School) and Chew Boon Lay (Boon Lay new town).
In September last year, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced the plan to construct a new road, to cut through part of Bukit Brown. More than 3000 tombs are affected. And next-of-kin are registering claims. Exhumation will begin in early 2013. The area is also gazetted for public housing in 20 years time. Although I've only been recently accquainted with it - it will nevertheless be sad to lose this part of our heritage in the march of 'progress'.
So in a bid to find out more about this bit of Singapore's heritage, I went exploring there last year. (But haven't had time to post pictures till now!) As you can see from the pictures below, it's very different from what you'd expect to find in modern Singapore. It felt kindda surreal, actually. Only a few graves seem to show signs of recent maintanece; the overgrown plants seem to swallow up human history.
Grave being taken over by nature
A guardian for the dead
The rolling landscape (the graves are far in the background)
Information on Bukit Brown from: here, here and LTA update.