Kampong Glam’s low-rise shophouses sit beside the Sultan Mosque and former royal palace grounds, creating a distinctive contrast of street scale and open space. The district’s history includes Malay royalty, Muslim trade networks, and diverse communities who lived and worked here.
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The golden dome of Sultan Mosque rises above a district of comparatively low shophouses. That contrast between landmark and street scale is one of Kampong Glam’s defining features.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- Kampong Glam was historically a seat of Malay royalty.
- Sultan Mosque and Istana Kampong Gelam are national monuments in the district.
- URA notes the district name probably derives from the gelam tree.
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