The Empress Place building overlooking the Singapore River, was built in 1864-1865 by convict labour. Occupied by government offices, it was renamed Empress Place in 1907 to commemorate Queen Victoria's visit to Singapore. In the foreground, lighters such as ‘tongkangs’ and ’twakows’ which ferried goods from seagoing vessels to the warehouses can be seen. The Singapore River was a main commercial centre during this period.
