Cavenagh Bridge, Singapore

Cavenagh Bridge, Singapore (11 September, 2010)


Cavenagh Bridge (GPS: 1.28657, 103.85234) is a pedestrian bridge across the Singapore River. It connects Empress Place on the north bank to Fullerton Square on the south bank. It was built in 1870 and was opened in conjunction with the celebration of Singapore becoming a Crown colony with the abolishment of the British East India Company. Cavenagh Bridge is the oldest bridge in Singapore in its original form.

When it was first built, Cavenagh Bridge was named the Edinburgh Bridge, to commemorate the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh. The name was later changed in honour of Major General William Oefeur Cavenagh (1820 - 1891), the last Governor of the Straits Settlements to be appointed directly from India, who served from 1859 to 1867. The Cavenagh family coat of arms is still displayed at both ends of the bridge.

Cavenagh Bridge was built to make it easier to cross the Singapore River. Otherwise, the other options were to either make a long detour via Elgin Bridge further upriver, or take a boat across. When Cavenagh Bridge was first opened, it was used by vehicular traffic such as rickshaws and bullock carts. Over time, the traffic across Cavenagh Bridge increased so much that another bridge had to be built within the immediate vicinity. Anderson Bridge was constructed to take the load off Cavenagh Bridge, after which it was used only for pedestrian crossing.

Befitting its role as a heritage structure, the Cavenagh Bridge was restored and beautified. Light fixtures were added in the 1990s to enhance its architectural beauty. Around the bridge are several sculptures including those of the Singapura cats, or kucinta, regarded as one of the smallest breeds of cats in the world.

Taking the MRT to Cavenagh Bridge

The nearest MRT station is the Raffles Place MRT Station (EW14/NS26).

Cavenagh Bridge, Singapore (11 September, 2010)


Cavenagh Bridge, Singapore (11 September, 2010)


Cavenagh Bridge at dusk. (8 July 2006)


Plaque at Cavenagh Bridge (28 July 2017)

Cavenagh Bridge is on the Map of Fullerton Road, Singapore

Cavenagh Bridge is on the Map of Bridges in Singapore

List of the Bridges in Singapore; Discover Singapore

 Sights in Singapore

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

Streets of Singapore and Map of Singapore Streets

Singapore MRT and Map of Singapore MRT

Postal Districts of Singapore and Map of Singapore Postal Districts

Planning Areas of Singapore and Map of Singapore Planning Areas

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Thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye. My hobby is to research information about places, and share the information with people on this website. I started this website on 5 January 2003, and since then, have written about over 20,000 places, mostly in Malaysia and Singapore.

Please use the information on this page as guidance only. While I try my best to provide you information that is as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors. Also, as I might not be able to update some information on time, some of these pages may contain outdated information.