When people think of Siglap today, they often associate it with spacious landed houses, reputable schools, and the easy-going East Coast lifestyle. This affluent neighbourhood in the east is highly coveted for its location and prestige.
Yet behind the present-day image of trendy cafés and multi-million-dollar properties lies a lesser-known chapter of history. During World War II, Siglap was one of several execution sites during the Japanese occupation, an episode that brought fear and loss to what is now a peaceful residential district.
What is now a calm and well-regarded enclave once carried the weight of wartime hardship and history.
Siglap today: A highly-coveted neighbourhood in the East
Image credit: roots.gov.sg
Siglap is nestled between Katong and Joo Chiat on one side, and Bedok on the other. The estate spans from East Coast Park to New Upper Changi Road, with Siglap Road running through the middle.
The area is home to well-loved neighbourhoods like Frankel Estate and Opera Estate, with prominent streets like Ettrick and Burnfoot Terrace, Fidelio and Tosca. Siglap road is also flanked by older side streets like Siglap First through Fifth Street, a reminder of the area’s early days of suburban development.
Amenities & schools in the area
Image credit: OrangeTee Advisory
Siglap might not have a mega-mall, but daily conveniences are well within reach. Around the junction of Siglap Road and East Coast Road, there’s Siglap Centre and the newer Siglap V, which anchor the area with supermarkets and essentials.
East Coast Road itself is lined with everything from prata stalls and nasi lemak shops to Italian trattorias and artisanal coffee joints, giving Siglap its distinctive mix of suburban calm and vibrant character. Larger malls like Parkway Parade and Bedok Mall are also a short drive away.
For leisure, residents can head straight onto the Siglap Park Connector or Siglap Linear Park, which link directly to East Coast Park, or enjoy smaller playgrounds and open spaces scattered within the estate.
Siglap is well served by a mix of local and international schools, making it popular with families. Within the estate are Opera Estate Primary and St. Stephen’s School, while established institutions like Victoria School and Victoria Junior College sit just by the coast.
International options include the Indonesian School on Siglap Road, Global Indian International School at Cheviot Hill, and Rosemount International School in Opera Estate.
The area also hosts St. Andrew’s Autism School, alongside a range of nearby mission schools such as St. Patrick’s and CHIJ Katong Convent, giving residents plenty of educational choices from preschool to junior college.
Image credit: Aamer Architects
In the neighbourhood, you’ll mostly find a mix of single- or double-storey houses, with some homes transformed into dreamy, larger 2.5- or 3-storey homes. The wide streets and low-density zoning give these neighbourhoods a quiet, upscale feel that remains highly sought after today.
Alongside landed properties, Siglap also has a handful of private condos and walk-up apartments. Projects like Villa Marina and East Coast Ville sit along Upper East Coast Road, while newer developments such as Seaside Residences add sea views and modern facilities.
Image credit: Darren Soh
Public housing has always been rare in Siglap. The only HDB flats built in the 1960s were cleared under SERS by 2015, leaving the area almost entirely private.
The hidden dark history of Siglap
Image credit: Imperial War Museum
But Siglap’s story isn’t all polished homes and family-friendly living. Beneath the calm streets lies a past that many would rather forget: a history threaded deeply into the darkest days of World War II in Singapore.
When Singapore fell in 1942, the Japanese launched the infamous Sook Ching Massacre. Men between 18 and 50 were summoned to screening centres; many were never seen again. “My father and two uncles were required to report to some registration centre… 3 of them went and only 2 came back,” one resident later recalled.
Siglap was among the places chosen for executions. Eyewitnesses spoke of extreme measures by the Japanese: “they beheaded 8 people and their heads were put in iron cages… because they disobeyed the law of the Imperial Japanese Army.”
Siglap’s post-war discovery of mass graves
Image credit: Foo Chin Hwa
For years, no one knew of Siglap’s wartime graves. It wasn’t until 1962 that the truth surfaced. During sand-washing works, 5 mass war graves were uncovered in a spot locals came to call the “Valley of Tears” or “Valley of Death”.
Further investigations led to the discovery of 40 more mass graves off Evergreen Avenue, each filled with the remains of those executed during the Japanese Occupation. So many remains were found, they filled 600 large urns.
Image credit: Deoma12
The scale of the findings shocked post-war Singapore. To honour the victims, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce oversaw proper exhumations, and the remains, along with belongings such as watches, coins, and personal belongings were later enshrined at the Civilian War Memorial.
Today, those iconic 4 pillars stand not just as a national monument, but as a silent reminder of the lives lost, including those buried beneath Siglap’s soil.
These stories linger amongst the older generation who used to live in Siglap: in whispered lore, in bones unearthed, in rituals held in memory. They remind us that beneath the calm façades of cafés and green parks, there once were quiet valleys of death.
The transformation of Siglap into a desirable neighbourhood
Image credit: Frankel-Clumeck Family
Over time, Siglap shed its wartime shadows and transformed into one of the East’s most desirable neighbourhoods. Bungalows began sprouting in the Frankel Estate, alongside schools that gave the area a strong community feel.
And here’s a little-known fact: Albert Einstein himself once visited Frankel Estate. In 1922 before the war, during a stopover in Singapore, the renowned physicist spent time at a house there, long before the area became lined with multi-million dollar homes.
It’s another footnote that adds yet another layer to Siglap’s history. From blood-soaked fields to high society, even with a brush of genius here and there.
Siglap: From dark past to high-SES neighbourhood
Siglap today is a picture of affluence and suburban charm. Due to Singapore’s small size, it means that many of our familiar areas sit atop forgotten stories: Bishan was once a cemetery, Toa Payoh was a sprawling swamp, and Siglap is no exception.
When you visit its cafés, cycle along East Coast Park, or walk past the bungalows, it’s easy to forget the valleys of death that once scarred the land. Yet beneath the calm streets and manicured gardens, history quietly lingers, waiting to be remembered.
Interested in more creepy and weird stuff in Singapore?
- HDB flats and homes with dark pasts in Singapore
- Living in a haunted rental flat as a uni student
- Ghost stories from Singaporean Redditors who lived in haunted houses
Cover image adapted from: Imperial War Museum, Far East Organization
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