Katong Park

Although Tanjong Katong Park is a popular picnic place for residences in the Meyer Road and Tanjong Rhu areas, this park was actually a heavily armed fortress during the time of British colonization.

Singapore archaeologists have recently found remnants of the 125-year-old British-built fort at Katong Park. The find has unearthed important clues of Singapore’s early military history from the several pieces of pottery, old coins and more importantly, signs of a drawbridge and moat. The excavation project, titled Raising History, Planting Roots,is undertaken by Mountbatten CCC. The fort is structurally British with slight adaptations to fit the island’s tropical conditions. There are not many other forts this old in the world, except in the United Kingdom and Canada.

Fast Facts

  1. Construction on the Tanjong Katong battery started in 1879: As part of a series of defensive batteries and fortifications along the south coast of Singapore, its objective was to defend the eastern areas like the Singapore Harbour, Singapore Town and New Harbour now known as Keppel Harbour.

  2. The fort was supposedly built to defend Singapore against possible Russian invasion in Asia. It initially consisted of an elevated battery of three 7-inch muzzle-loading guns along with magazines and bombproof shelters built between the gun emplacements.

  3. The battery was surrounded by an escarpment of mangrove piles and a wet ditch measuring 100 feet on the flanks.

Fort at Katong Park

Fort at Katong Park

The fort is about two hectares and was first discovered in 2001 by Katong resident Jack Sim. The fort features several spy-holes and could hold three muzzle-loading rifled guns, mounted 50 metres apart.

The excavation project at Tanjong Katong has ended. Presently, the Preservation of Monuments Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority are assessing the Fort Tanjong Katong's contention for National Monument status.

The park is open to the public (though the area has been cordoned off). You can also visit Tanjong Katong Park for your routine walkabouts or perhaps a game of soccer.