CHIJMES

About this place

CHIJMES is a historic building complex on Victoria Street in central Singapore, which began as a Catholic convent called the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus, the source of its name. It is now a place for restaurants, shops and weddings, and visitors come for its white arcades and gardens among the towers. It served as a convent from 1852, after the purchase of Caldwell House, built in 1840 and 1841. An orphanage house followed in 1855, the convent chapel in 1904 and a hotel complex for the girls' school in 1933. Caldwell House and the Gothic chapel are national monuments, and the complex was restored in 1996 for commercial use. White arched arcades surround a sunken court with restaurant seating, trees and fountains that spill from a stone wall. The curved Caldwell House, with its timber shutters, is among the finest buildings, and the old chapel hall shows its Gothic style and slender tower. The mood changes from a calm day to an evening glowing with lights. It is 300 m in a straight line from Raffles Hotel and the Peranakan Museum, so it fits a walk around the centre. Pictures in the arcades and courts are usually fine, but the hall and Caldwell House are hired for weddings and events, so you may not get inside. Many restaurants serve alcohol, so read the menu first and ask about halal food if you need it.