What is a National Monument? Who gazettes them? How many national monuments are there in Singapore? To date, the Preservation of Sites and Monuments, a division of National Heritage Board, has identified and gazetted 75 buildings, structures and sites of national significance as an integral part of Singapore’s built heritage.
You've probably passed by or stepped into more than a few of them without realising they were National Monuments: Al-Abrar Mosque, Asian Civilisations Museum, the Civilian War Memorial, Saint Andrew's Cathedral, the Esplanade Park Memorials, Fort Siloso on Sentosa — no need to plan an itinerary for friends visiting from overseas; just show them this article.
The committee eventually chose a site on Shenton Way in May 1961. The three-acre plot was three times larger than the one on Armenian Street. It was envisioned that the building would provide not only sufficient facilities for STUC and other unions, but also a space to host international conferences.
Construction of the trade union house was completed by Sept 1965 and the $4-million building was opened by then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on Oct 15, just two months after Singapore gained independence. After the NTUC moved out, the SCO undertook extensive modifications to the building. The $14.7-million renovation was completed in 2001. The building was reopened as the Singapore Conference Hall on Sept 22 that year by then-Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The original auditorium is now the SCO Concert Hall. The premises also house a resource library, score library, exhibition hall, sectional practice hall and studios.