The Istana occupies over 100 acres of land and it is located along busy Orchard Road. To be more specific,
it is just beside Plaza Singapura, a popular shopping complex in Singapore. The nearest MRT station
would of course be Dhoby Ghaut.
Now, Istana is the official residence of the President of the Republic of Singapore. It is here where the President
receives and entertains state guests on visits to Singapore.
The Istana was constructed in the year 1869 and it had a different name then. It was not called Istana
but rather more commonly known as 'Government House of Singapore'. It was only till 1959 when
Singapore obtained internal self-government, then the name of the residence changed to 'Istana'.
The Istana we see now and the 'Istana' way back in 1869 look very different. But it was given one
major renovation work which started in 1996 and ended in the year 1998 which gave it the look it
has now.
Note that Istana is not a tourist resort, place of attraction whatsoever. But yet on very special occasions
such as National Day or during some significant events, the President is kind enough to 'open up'
his residence to the public for anyone who would like to have a view inside. However, for anyone who had
tried to queue up just to have a walk or look inside during these special occasions before, they
will know that the queue is by no means short. Some people may even wait for hours
before their turn arrive. So therefore, book your queue early.
