Old City Hall

Old City Hall stands in Singapore as a national monument beside the former Supreme Court Building. It faces the historic Padang, a broad field at the heart of the civic district. Architects A. Gordans and F. D. Meadows designed the building for the Singapore Municipal Commission. Construction ran from 1926 to 1929, when it served as the Municipal Building. The structure became City Hall in 1951, after Singapore received city status from King George VI.

During the Second World War, Japanese authorities used these rooms for civic administration. Subhas Chandra Bose addressed supporters here while seeking Japanese backing for India’s independence. Lee Kuan Yew declared Singapore’s self-government at this place in 1959. Singaporeans first heard their national anthem and saw their national flag during that ceremony. The first National Day Parade took place here in 1966, adding another public milestone. Twelve courtrooms later moved to the adjacent Supreme Court Building in 1988. Since 2015, the restored complex has housed National Gallery Singapore and its collections of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art.