Empress Place Building

Empress Place Building

The Empress Place Building is located on the north bank of the Singapore River in the Central Business District. It is a historic building that was constructed in four phases between 1864 and 1920. It was gazetted as a national monument of Singapore in 1992 and is now part of the Asian Civilisations Museum. In 1890, to commemorate the reign of Queen Victoria, this historic building was named the Empress Place Building.

From the outside, the Empress Place Building features Palladian architecture, with wooden louvred windows and asphalt-clay tiled roofs, exuding a classic colonial beauty that has attracted countless immigrants. Inside the building, visitors can admire majestic rooms, high ceilings, grand columns, and exquisite sculptures and cornices. A 1905 Singapore travel guide once described the Empress Place Building as: “Apart from cities in India, there is perhaps no other building in the East more beautiful than the Empress Place Building when viewed from the sea.” Such high praise speaks to the truly exceptional charm of the building. If you have the chance, be sure to witness its allure in person.

Empress Place Building

Must-visit reason: One of Singapore’s most charming historic buildings