FORT SILOSO

Description

Essentials about Fort Siloso in brief

Fort Siloso is Singapore’s only surviving coastal military fortification. The fort was built in the late 19th century on the western tip of Sentosa Island. The background to its construction was that after the opening of the Suez Canal in the late 19th century, Singapore developed into an important British trading port that needed to be protected against potential maritime aggressors. Today, Fort Siloso is no longer used for military purposes, but houses a military museum documenting the history of the British-Japanese War in the Far East.

The history of Fort Siloso

In World War II, however, the attack did not come from the sea; instead, Japanese troops advanced into Singapore by land. To support their own troops, the British defenders turned the guns of Fort Siloso 180 degrees and aimed them toward the city. However, they did not succeed – the British troops had to surrender to the Japanese invaders.

The museum in Fort Siloso

Today, Fort Siloso is a military museum that tells the story of the British-Japanese War in the Far East. At the fort, visitors can view the historic guns, a system of underground tunnels and command rooms, and a wealth of World War II memorabilia. On the way to Fort Siloso, visitors should not miss the Fort Siloso Skywalk. The 180-meter-long skywalk takes you through the treetops at a height of about 30 meters.