The Istana

Newton, Singapore

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Opening hours: "on 5 public holidays/year"

From OpenStreetMap — confirm before travelling

Find out more

The Istana, a Palladian-style palace in Newton, Singapore, was designed by architect John Frederick Adolphus McNair on a 106-acre estate that once formed part of a nineteenth-century nutmeg plantation. Built by the British colonial government in 1867 as the official residence of the governor, the building transitioned to serve as the home of Singapore's Yang di-Pertuan Negara following the country's self-governance in 1959, and subsequently became the official residence of the president. Today, the Istana houses the offices of both the President and Prime Minister of Singapore and functions as a venue for state events and important official ceremonies, though it remains largely unused as a residential space. Gazetted as a national monument on 14 February 1992, it stands as a significant example of colonial and post-independence Singapore architecture.