Fort Canning Park: From Forbidden Hill to Singapore's Most Historic Green Space
Fort Canning Park is one of Singapore's most storied landmarks — a 48-metre hill in the heart of the city that has served as a royal palace, a colonial fort, a spice plantation, a military command centre, and today, one of the island's most beautiful public parks. Originally known as Bukit Larangan — the Forbidden Hill — it has witnessed more than 700 years of Singapore's history. In 2019, nine new historical gardens were unveiled to commemorate the Singapore Bicentennial, transforming the park into an open-air museum where ancient Javanese gates stand metres away from Gothic colonial relics. 📋 Quick Facts Also known as Bukit Larangan (Forbidden Hill), Government Hill Height 48 metres (157 ft) above sea level Size ~18 hectares Opening hours Open 24 hours (park lighting: 7pm – 7am) Heritage Gallery 10am – 6pm daily; closed last Monday of each month Entry fee Free Nearest MRT Fort Canning (DT20), Dhoby Ghaut (NS24/NE6/CC1), Bras ...