50 Best Kept Secrets of The Istana: History and Heritage

Discover 50 little-known facts about the Istana's history and heritage, from its completion in 1869 as Government House, where Singapore's governors lived, to its renaming as the Istana.

Using archival research surrounding the history of Singapore from its colonial days, this book helps you learn about the country’s past in an easy-to-follow manner. For example, did you know that an insect was partly responsible for the siting of the Istana? Or that six months after it was completed, people started wandering into the Government House because they wanted to check out the fancy furniture that came from England and Europe? And did you know that Singapore's first President Yusof Ishak thought the Istana's main building was too grand for him and his family to stay in?