Tan Kim Seng Fountain

The Tan Kim Seng Fountain is a fountain in Singapore that was erected in 1882 in memory of notable philanthropist Tan Kim Seng.

The erection of the Tan Kim Seng Fountain by the then British Colonial Government was in response to Tan's donation of $13,000 to the government for the construction of Singapore’s first reservoir and waterworks. The Tan Kim Seng Fountain was erected by the Municipal Commissioners to commemorate Tan's donation. However, his donation was squandered away by the Government Engineer, who hoped to make water run uphill through water pipes. In 1882, possibly out of shame and to mark the British colonial government's appreciation for such a generous gift, the fountain was installed in Fullerton Square to perpetuate his name, where it graced the busy traffic intersection for four decades.

The fountain was made by Andrew Handyside and Company from England, and officially unveiled on 19 May 1882. The fountain was moved to Battery Road in 1905 and later in 1925 to the Esplanade Park, while the Fullerton Building was being constructed, where it now stands. In January 1994, it was shut down for repairs that lasted seven months. As part of this S$1.12-million restoration project, the 7m-high cast-iron fountain was also rust-proofed and a new foundation was built. On 28 December 2010, the Tan Kim Seng Fountain was gazetted as a national monument. It now sits alongside other monuments such as the Lim Bo Seng Memorial and the Cenotaph.

The Victorian-style iron fountain has three tiers and is decorated with classical figures. The exquisite fountain features four Muses – Greek goddesses of science, literature, and the arts – in its lower bowl, each bearing an object of her patronage. Calliope, the Muse of Epic Poetry, carries a writing tablet; Clio, the Muse of History, carries a scroll; Erato, the Muse of Lyric Poetry, carries a lyre; and Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy, carries a wreath. Beneath the sculptures of the Muses are four faces of Poseidon, the God of the Sea according to Greek mythology, each spouting water. The fountain bears close resemblance to the Carriedo Fountain in Manila, which also dates from 1882, and was possibly manufactured by the same founder.

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