Splendid Istana

Monte and I spent a wonderful afternoon with a friend at the Istana on 1 May.

“The Istana is the official residence of the President of the Republic of Singapore. It occupies over 40 hectares of land along Orchard Road. It is a precious and important part of Singapore's history and heritage, and has borne witness to Singapore's many historical milestones.

The Istana building was built by the British Colonial government to house its governors. Completed in 1869, it was then known as the Government House. The building was handed over to the Singapore Government when Singapore attained self government in 1959, and renamed Istana (“Palace” in Malay).

The Istana building underwent extensive renovation between 1996 and 1998, to add more space and modern day conveniences. The building today has six function rooms used for ceremonies and to receive guests.”

http://www.istana.gov.sg/content/istana/index.html