Elgin Bridge, Singapore

Elgin Bridge, Singapore (28 July 2017)


Elgin Bridge (GPS: 1.28902, 103.84931) is a bridge for vehicles that spans across the Singapore River. There has been a crossing at this site since 1819, the year Raffles landed in Singapore. It was originally called Presentment Bridge, but was renamed after the Governor-General of India, James Bruce, the 8th Earl of Elgin (1862 - 1863). The present bridge was completed in 1929.

As Elgin Bridge was the first bridge (at that time) across the Singapore River, the roads leading to it were named North Bridge Road and South Bridge Road accordingly. The bridge served as a link between the Chinese community which settled on the southern side of the Singapore River to the Indian merchants of High Street on the northern side, and was once the only place where one could walk across the Singapore River.

After the initial foot bridge of 1819, a wooden drawbridge was erected at this site in 1822, and was officially named Presentment Bridge. It was also known as Jackson Bridge after Lieutenant Philip Jackson who built the bridge. The locals nicknamed it Monkey Bridge because it was extremely narrow and required some agility to cross it.

The drawbridge was demolished in 1843, and wooden footbridge was erected in its place, designed by John Turnbull Thomson.

In 1862, the wooden foot bridge was replaced by an iron verson and named then renamed Elgin Bridge, after James Bruce. That iron bridge was also subsequently demolished in 1925 and replaced by a new concrete bridge which is still standing today, and kept its old name. The present Elgin Bridge was opened to traffic by the Governor of the Straits Settlements Sir Hugh Clifford on 30 May 1929.

Elgin Bridge is decorated with elegant cast iron lamps designed by Italian sculptor Cavalari Rudolfo Nolli. His signature is inscribed beneath the lamps. Bronze plaques, each with a lion standing in front of a royal palm tree engraved on it, can also be found below the lamps.

Elgin Bridge is known as thih tiau kio in the local Hokkien dialect, meaning "iron suspension bridge".

Getting there

Take the North East Line to the Clarke Quay MRT Station, and walk a short distance from there.

Elgin Bridge on Google Maps Street View

Elgin Bridge is on the Map of Bridges in Singapore

Elgin Bridge, as seen from Coleman Bridge. (28 July 2017)

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

About this website

Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

While I try my best to provide you information as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors and for outdated information which I am unaware. Nevertheless, I hope that what I have described here will be useful to you.