It's distinctive, it's iconic.
It's one of the most well-known scenes in Singapore.
But did you know that this towering, city skyline took less than 40 years in the making?
When the British first stepped foot on this island in 1819, they were greeted with a view of fishing villages, forests, small hills and marshes.
Fast-forward to the mid-1900s.
Passengers arriving at Clifford Pier saw a more impressive skyline of godowns and trading houses.
Along Collyer Quay, iconic commercial buildings such as the Arcade and Ocean Building were emblems of a bustling trading settlement.
But low-rise buildings were still the order of the day.
It was only in 1955 that the first modern skyscraper in Singapore, Asia Insurance Building (now known as Ascott Raffles Place Singapore), was completed.
For years to come, this 87-metre high building at Finlayson Green was the tallest building in Southeast Asia.
By the 1960s, more skyscrapers such as the 15-storey Shell House on Collyer Quay were built.
But going high really kicked off when Singapore's economy began to boom.
The 1970s heralded the age of skyscrapers in Singapore, with the completion of UOB Building (now known as UOB Plaza Two) and DBS Building in 1974, and OCBC Centre and International Plaza in 1976.
Through the years, tall and yet taller buildings defined a new distinctive skyline.
In 1986, the record for the tallest building in Singapore was set.
OUB Centre, at 280 metres, was the highest building in Southeast Asia at that time.
As 280 metres is the current height limit imposed in Singapore for aviation safety, skyscrapers had reached the highest note with OUB Centre.
In the 1990s, two more 280-metre high skyscrapers, UOB Plaza One and Republic Plaza, joined OUB Centre in the ranks of tallest skyscrapers in Singapore.
Along Marina Bay, however, the skyline began forming only in the mid-1980s.
New developments became possible when reclamation works started in the late 1970s to create the bay.
The completion of Marina Square and Pan Pacific Hotel in 1986 signalled the start of a new skyline.
A year later, another two hotels were completed - Marina Mandarin and Mandarin Oriental.
The 1990s saw Marina Bay taking on a distinctive look.
Suntec City, with its five iconic towers, opened in 1995.
The development of Millenia Singapore, comprising Centennial Tower, Millenia Tower and another two hotels, followed suit in 1996.
At 218 metres, Millenia Tower is the tallest building in the development.
The skyline across the bay really came into its own in the new millennium.
Today, new and exciting developments, such as Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay (completed in 2002), the Singapore Flyer (completed in 2007) and Marina Bay Sands (completed in 2010), have added more variety and character to the ever-evolving Singapore skyline!
Imagine being able to walk continuously for 3.5 km around a bay while enjoying the attractions and taking in the panoramic views of the bay at the same time.
You can now do so at the very place you are in!
Marina Bay is the centrepiece of Singapore's urban transformation and will support our city's continuing growth as a major business and financial hub in Asia.
Marina Bay is envisioned as a 24/7, thriving and energetic place where people will live, work and play.
The waterfront at Marina Bay promises to delight the senses.
It is a destination that is easily accessible and a free attraction for everyone to enjoy at Marina Bay.
Visitors to Marina Bay can look forward to a delightful stroll along the 3.5 km promenade around the bay, a continuous waterfront loop linking up the necklace of attractions at the Marina Centre, Collyer
Quay and Bayfront areas.
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