Fort Canning Park
歷史
Once known as Bukit Larangan, or ‘The Forbidden Hill’, Fort Canning Park was once the seat of power for the ancient Malay kingdom of Singapura in the 1300s. The park was later the site where Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore, built his official residence in 1819. The area was subsequently known as Government Hill. In 1822, Singapore’s first botanic garden was also established on this hill.
In 1860, a fort was built on the hill, and named after Lord Charles John Canning, the first Viceroy of India. From that time until the 1970s, Fort Canning was used as a military base - first by the British, then by the Japanese during WWII, and later by the Republic’s armed forces.
Today, Fort Canning Park is a must-see for nature lovers and history buffs alike, with its historical sites nestled amid the lush greenery. Offering a variety of arts, heritage, and nature experiences, Fort Canning Park is a tranquil oasis, and an important green lung in Singapore’s downtown city area.
以前的 Fort Canning Park 其實叫做 Bukit Larangan，意思是「禁山（The Forbidden Hill）」。相傳在 14 世紀的時候，這裡是古代馬來王國「Singapura」的權力中心。到了 1819 年，新加坡之父 萊佛士（Sir Stamford Raffles） 在這裡興建了他的官邸，後來這一帶也被稱作「Government Hill（政府山）」。1822 年，新加坡第一座植物園也在這座山上誕生。
再後來，1860 年這裡建起了一座堡壘，以印度第一任總督 Lord Charles John Canning 的名字命名，成為現在的 Fort Canning。從那時一直到 1970 年代，這裡都被當作軍事基地使用——先是英軍駐守，二戰期間被日軍佔領，戰後又成了新加坡軍隊的基地。
如今的 Fort Canning Park，已經搖身一變成為結合自然與歷史的熱門景點。不論是喜歡大自然、還是對歷史文化有興趣的人，都能在這裡找到樂趣。公園裡有濃密的綠意，也藏著許多歷史遺跡，是熱鬧市中心中難得的一片寧靜綠洲。
位置
Fort Canning Park is located right next to the bustling Orchard Road, adjacent to the National Museum and the School of Law at Singapore Management University (SMU). Being in such a central location, it’s often called Singapore’s “Central Park.” The park itself is huge, with various attractions scattered throughout. It can roughly be divided into three levels: the lowest level, near the road, has large open lawns; the middle level features gardens of different styles and old cannons; and the top level has a fortress, the visitor center, and the central military control area.
Fort Canning Park 就在熱鬧的烏節路旁，緊鄰國家博物館和新加坡管理大學（SMU）法學院，整個位置非常市中心，也因此常被稱作新加坡版的「中央公園」。公園本身超大，裡面散落著各種不同的景點。大致可以分成三層：最底層靠近馬路，有一大片一大片的草地；中間那層有各式風格的花園和大炮；最上層則有碉堡、遊客中心，還有中間的軍事管制區。
If you only walk around the top level, it doesn’t take too much time. But if you want to visit all the attractions, it’s better to set aside two to three hours. The park also has a free exhibition space called the Fort Canning Heritage Gallery, which displays the history and development of the park. It’s worth stopping by to gain a deeper understanding of the park’s story.
如果只是走最上層繞一圈，其實不用花太多時間；但如果想把所有景點都逛過一遍，建議預留兩到三小時會比較剛好。公園裡還有一個免費展覽館叫 Fort Canning Heritage Gallery，裡面展示了公園的歷史與變遷，蠻值得停下來看看，可以更深入了解這座公園的背景故事。
風景
This is the famous photo spot at Fort Canning Park — the Tree Tunnel. It used to be an air-raid shelter and is located a bit off the main path, but it’s easy to find if you follow the signs. There were a lot of people queuing to take photos that day. I originally thought I had timed it well and that the sunlight would be perfect, but on closer look, I realized it wasn’t sunlight at all — it was actually lights! I’m not sure if they’re just for illumination or set up specifically for photos. Either way, combined with the trees at the tunnel entrance, the whole scene looked really beautiful!
這裡是 Fort Canning Park 很有名的打卡景點——Tree Tunnel。原本這裡是一個防空洞，位置有點偏，不過沿著指標走就能找到。當天有很多人在排隊拍照，我原本以為自己抓的時間很好，陽光應該很漂亮，結果仔細一看才發現那不是陽光，而是燈！不太確定那是用來照明的，還是特地設的拍照燈。不過搭配上洞口的樹影，整個畫面真的很美！
整個公園裡隨處都能看到有人在野餐，從靠近馬路的草地到比較高的坡上，幾乎每個角落都有。有人是一個人靜靜地坐著，有的是情侶，也有一群朋友一起。大家會帶著野餐墊和食物，氣氛超悠閒。有一群學生還帶了吉他，在現場彈唱，整個公園都變得很熱鬧又有活力。
Throughout the park, you can see people having picnics everywhere — from the lawns near the road to the higher slopes, almost every corner has someone relaxing. Some are sitting quietly by themselves, some are couples, and others are groups of friends. Everyone brings a picnic mat and some food, creating a super relaxed atmosphere. I even saw a group of students with a guitar, playing and singing on the spot, which made the whole park lively and full of energy.
