St Andrew’s Cathedral

Saint Andrew’s Cathedral, the neo-gothic architectural masterpiece that stands in the civic district of Singapore is the largest and the oldest Anglican Church in the city.

The original building was damaged by lightning and was restored in 1856, making the ‘new’ building at least 158 years old today.

While Saint Andrew’s Cathedral maintained its name after it was damaged by lightning and eventually demolished, the cathedral that visitors see today is very much different from the first two cathedrals that used to stand in its place. The first design was of the Palladian style, while the second one consisted of a tower and a spire. Faith willed these two designs abandoned and Saint Andrew’s Cathedral became known for its neo-gothic architecture.

Through legislation, the cathedral was converted into a national monument in 1973. Today, Saint Andrew’s Cathedral remains as one of the most treasured architectural works in the city and keeps visitors in constant awe of its majestic facade and beautiful interiors.

Apart from its vibrant history, the cathedral is also famous for its multi-coloured stained glass windows. The windows fill half of the dome resting on top of the building and are dedicated to three important persons who played significant roles in Singaporean history, John Crawfurd, William Butterworth and Stamford Raffles.

The church is also filled with symbolic objects that represent a fragment of the Anglican Church history in Singapore. One of which is an engraved stone set in a pillar beside the cathedral’s lectern. The stone serves as a sign of the cathedral’s loyalty to the See of Canterbury.

Guests who are curious about the story of these symbolic objects, as well as other aspects of the cathedral’s history, may head to the visitor’s centre within the cathedral’s premises to see artefacts and many other interesting items.