Standing tall and proud for over a century, speaking volumes of its majestic times of history through statue and ornate arched window, and proclaiming the glory of the times when Highness paced its floors, is the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall in Singapore. Located at 12 Tai Gin Road in Balestier, the colonial style two storey villa is indeed a significant historical land mark, which is now a museum that commemorates Sun Yat –sen, who is the founding father of the Republic of China. The villa is believed to have been part of the Xinhai Revolution by serving as the Tongmenghui’s base in Nanyang in the early 20th century. These walls have indeed heard the many conversations that happened while planning the numerous uprisings and fundraisings that led to the Revolution in 1911. It is also said that the flag of the Republic of China too, was sewn in Sun Yat Sen Villa during these times.
The battles of a century past over and done with, the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang villa now rests from its earthly toils while sculptures and statues of bronze of the people who were strongly connected with the shaping of its significance lay scattered all over its floors. The one meter tall sculpture of Sun Yat-sen seated on a chair as well as statues of many who aided him in the Revolution are predominantly included in this count. Oil and water colour paintings as well as calligraphy works of artists from China and Singapore adorn the galleries that house over 400 artefacts that include photographs, old books and sculptures, each re-telling its own grand story in glorious silence. All these precious treasures of old can be witnessed as they silently lay in five galleries of the two levels in the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall.
A holiday in Singapore will be enriched indeed once a visit to this historical location is visited. Transport to this place can be arranged with the hotels in Singapore. Staying at one of the centrally located Singapore hotels such as the Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Singapore will make it easier for one to visit the Memorial Hall to explore the historically prominent structure in leisure.
Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Caliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered.
