Fun Facts: Do you know that Fort Canning Hill was once known as the Forbidden Hill?
Archaeological excavations prove the vitality of Fort Canning Hill's history as far back as the 14th century when it was the seat of the Malay Kingdom, Temasek. Except for minimal portside activity, little was known of the island until the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819.

The Malay locals who received Raffles pointed him to the hill they called Bukit Larangan, which means in Malay 'Forbidden Hill'. They were fearful of climbing the hill as they thought the palace of their ancestor kings had once stood there. Raffles had part of the hill cleared of jungle, revealing the ruins of ancient brick buildings, which gave support to the legends.

Once the forbidden hill of ancient Malay royalty and later the Far East Command Centre of the British, today's Fort Canning Park beckons visitors to a tranquil, green oasis. Capitalising on the rich historical assets of the old citadel, the National Parks Board has revitalised Fort Canning into a unique city park with many popular art performances, events and concerts to serve the populace of Singapore.