Bukit Timah

All About Bukit Timah

Bukit Timah, often abbreviated as Bt Timah, is a planning area and residential estate located in the westernmost part of Singapore’s Central Region. Situated about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the Central Business District, Bukit Timah is bordered by the Central Water Catchment to the north, Bukit Panjang to the northwest, Queenstown to the south, Tanglin to the southeast, Clementi to the southwest, Novena to the east, and Bukit Batok to the west.

Due to its prime location, Bukit Timah has one of the highest densities of luxury condominiums and landed properties in the city, with very little public housing.

Origin of the Name Bukit Timah

The area was first identified on the 1828 Franklin and Jackson map, published by the second Resident, John Crawfurd, where it was marked as Bukit Timah. Since the inland of Singapore island had not yet been fully explored by the British colonial government at the time, the name likely came from the Malay community on the island.

In Malay, Bukit Timah means “tin hill”. The original Malay name for the area was Bukit Temak, meaning “hill of the temak trees,” because there were many temak (a type of Dipterocarp tree) trees in the area. It is possible that the British in Singapore misheard or misread the name, which later became Bukit Timah.

History of Bukit Timah

During the Japanese occupation, the Japanese built the Syonan Jinja in Bukit Timah (Singapore was known as Syonan-to during the occupation), a Shinto shrine similar to Japan’s Yasukuni Shrine but on a smaller scale. The shrine complex included two war memorials: one for the Japanese war dead, and surprisingly, another for the British forces who died defending Singapore. Students, Japanese commanders, and representatives of British prisoners of war would regularly gather there to commemorate the dead during the occupation. The Syonan Jinja was destroyed by the Japanese themselves just before their surrender.

Infrastructure in Bukit Timah

The Bukit Timah area is renowned for its high land prices.

The Bukit Timah Race Course, a thoroughbred horse racing venue, opened in 1933 and operated until 1999. The land has since been renovated and is now home to The Grandstand (formerly Turf City), which features several food outlets, childcare facilities, and a Giant supermarket.

The surrounding area has many bungalows, a type of housing that is often expensive in land-scarce Singapore, as well as high-rise condominiums. Many expatriates and wealthy Singaporeans live in the district. Its main highlights include popular restaurants along Sixth Avenue and at Turf City.

The area later expanded to form Upper Bukit Timah (District 21).

Bukit Timah MRT

There are six MRT stations within the planning area, spanning two lines: the Downtown Line (DTL) and the Circle Line (CCL). Stage 2 of the Downtown Line (DTL), which opened on December 27, 2015, runs parallel to Bukit Timah Road and connects Bukit Panjang in the northwest of Bukit Timah to the downtown area in the south. Both lines have an interchange station at Botanic Gardens MRT station.

The six MRT stations within the planning area are:

DT5 Beauty World

DT6 King Albert Park

DT7 Sixth Avenue

DT8 Tan Kah Kee

CC20 Farrer Road

CC21 Holland Village

Schools in Bukit Timah

Due to the large number of expatriates and immigrants residing here, the area is known for having many international schools.

Primary Schools

Bukit Timah Primary School

Henry Park Primary School

Methodist Girls’ School (Primary)

Nanyang Primary School

Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School

Raffles Girls’ Primary School

Secondary Schools

Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road)

St. Joseph’s Institution

Singapore Chinese Girls’ School

Hwa Chong Institution

Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary)

Nanyang Girls’ High School

National Junior College

St. Margaret’s Secondary School

Tertiary Institutions

Hwa Chong Institution

National Junior College

St. Joseph’s Institution

Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)

Other Schools

Chatsworth International School

Dimensions International College (Bukit Timah Campus)

German European School Singapore (GESS)

Hwa Chong International School

St. Francis Methodist School

Singapore Korean International School (SKIS)

Swiss School in Singapore

Hollandse School

Additional Information on Bukit Timah

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