SINGAPORE - The stunning Fullerton Building situated at the mouth of the Singapore River is now the country's 71st national monument. The 1928 neoclassical structure, now home to The Fullerton Hotel, was gazetted yesterday in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Under the Preservation of Monuments Act, a national monument should have historic, cultural, traditional, archaeological, architectural, artistic or symbolic significance, and hold importance for the nation. Preservation is the strictest form of legal protection - building owners cannot alter or repair any part of a national monument without the National Heritage Board's approval.

NHB highlighted the building's rich history, as it has had various uses as Singapore transitioned from colonial rule to self-governance.

The building is best remembered for housing the thriving General Post Office. It also functioned as an important point of reference for public roads, serving as mile zero under the old system for measuring road distances.

The Fullerton's gazette is the third in a series by the Preservation of Sites and Monuments in celebration of Singapore's Golden Jubilee. The others were Jurong Town Hall in June and the Istana Kampong Gelam in August, which represent the nation's industrialisation drive and the country's historical links with the Malay world respectively.

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