The President is the head of state and a symbol of national power. As the official residence of the Presidents of Singapore, it is a heavily guarded residence and is not open to the public on weekdays. During the colonial era, it served as the official residence of the 21 former Governors of Singapore and is now the office of the President of the Republic of Singapore.
In addition to its deep historical roots, the Presidential Palace is also an architectural marvel. This neo-Palladian style building was originally designed by Major John McNair, an engineer and architect for the British colonial government, and was completed in 1869.
Since January 2, 1995, in order to make the Presidential Palace more accessible to the wider public and to provide a convenient gateway for Singapore’s leaders to get close to the people, the Presidential Palace has been open to the public on five major public holidays every year: Lunar New Year, Labor Day, National Day, Eid-ul-Fitr, and Tu B’Shevat. Tickets for tourists, foreign students or workers to enter the grounds of the Presidential Palace cost as little as S$2, while Singapore citizens and permanent residents are admitted free of charge. All visitors are required to pay between S$2 and S$10 for access to the main Presidential Palace building.
Tip:
When you visit the Presidential Palace, you must remember to bring your passport or identity card (IC) with you. After passing through the security check, you will enter the Presidential Palace compound. You will be greeted by a huge lawn with an extremely wide view. The lawn also has a 9-hole miniature golf course attached to it, which is used by Singapore’s leaders for recreational purposes. There are also several small ponds in the middle of the huge lawn, making it a beautiful setting for picnics, picnics and resting with children, and at the end of the lawn is the Presidential Palace.
The main building of the Presidential Palace is a white structure that was built in 1867 and completed in 1869, 140 years ago. It was once the Government House of the British colony, which was handed over to the Singapore Government in 1959 when Singapore became self-governing and was renamed as the President’s House.
This simple but no less stately ornate building brings together both the tropical flavor of Malaya and a variety of European design styles, such as Victorian Renaissance architecture, Roman classic style, and Gothic architectural features. The main building of the Presidential Palace has hosted a number of function rooms parlors for foreign heads of state and members of the royal family, and listen to some interesting historical tidbits.
The Conference Hall of the Presidential Palace is a highly prestigious venue dedicated to receiving international political leaders and diplomatic officials. Here, visitors have the opportunity to view exquisite gifts from around the world, including many state gifts from the Chinese government, which are not only exquisite but also deeply embedded in the cultural characteristics of their respective countries. It should be noted that photography is not allowed inside the conference hall.
During the Open Day at the Presidential Palace, visitors will not only have the opportunity to tour this historic building, but also enjoy a series of exciting performances by local primary and secondary school bands. In addition, a variety of playground facilities will be set up on the wide lawn in front of the Presidential Palace to provide a fun and entertaining space for children, all of which are free to use.
Although the main building of the Presidential Palace is open to the public for tours, there are many other buildings and facilities within the Presidential Palace, such as office buildings, villas, guard barracks, gun emplacements, fountains and the statue of Queen Victoria, which are not open to the public due to privacy or security considerations, and tourists can only view the exterior outlines of these buildings from a distance.
Caveats:
Admission to visit the Presidential Palace is subject to a security check. Please do not bring sharp objects (e.g. knives of all sizes, forks and scissors), flammable materials (e.g. lighters) and any canned goods (e.g. beverage cans). The President’s House reserves the right to restrict entrance to the grounds in the event of inclement weather or for other reasons. An admission pass is required for each visitor to enter the Main Building once; children 4 years of age and under are admitted free of charge. Smoking is strictly prohibited on the grounds of the Presidential Palace, and eating, drinking and photography are not permitted in the Main Building.
