Research: Jurong Hill Tower & Garden of Fame

Floating 207-metres above the bay, the iconic world’s largest Infinity Pool provides a panoramic view of the ever-expanding Singapore skyline. The sky-scraping observatory platform overlooking the cityscape could be seen as Singapore’s prime symbol of progress today, but 50 years or so ago, it was Jurong Hill Tower.

60-metres above sea level, on the top of Jurong Hill, previously known as Bukit Perupok/Peropok, stands an 18-metre tall observatory tower. The $200,00 project was commissioned in the 60s by the Jurong Town Corporations (JTC) to become a platform for foreign guests and investors to have a panoramic view of the industrial estate. Intending to gain the confidence of these investors by exhibiting Singapore’s developing industrial site, the Government hope to create more job opportunities for locals.

This unassuming tower tucked away at the top of the hill has hosted many foreign ministers, Presidents and Vice-presidents and also the Queen of England, herself.

Here’s what aI found on Jurong Hill Tower.

On the same hill also lies Jurong Hill park where many distinguished guests have planted trees in the “Garden of Fame“. Here’s a list of celebrities that  have done so:

  • Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy of the United Kingdom – She planted the first tree in the garden in 1969 while attending the 150th Anniversary of the Founding of Singapore and the National Day Celebration.
  • Soeharto – President of The Republic of Indonesia (29 to 31 August 1974)
  • Ferdinand E. Marcos – President of the Republic of The Philippines (27 to 29 January 1976)
  • Mom Rajwongse Kukrit Pramoj – Prime Minister of Thailand (24 to 27 July 1975)
  • Queen Elizabeth II of England (18 February to 20 February 1972)
  • Mohammad Reza Pahlavi – Imperial Majesty of Iran (18 February to 20 September 1974)
  • Takeo Fukuda – Prime Minister of Japan (14 to 15 August 1977)
  • Deng XiaopingVice Premier of The People’s Republic of China (12 to 14 November 1978)
  • Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri – President of India (14 to 17 September 1971)
  • Major General Ziaur Rahman BU, PSC – President of People’s Republic of Bangladesh (20 to 21 September 1978)
  • Hans Koschnick – Prime Minister of the state of Bremen, Federal Republic of Germany (29 January 1971)
  • Spiro Agnew – Vice President of The United States of America (10 January 1970)
  • Errol Walton Barrow – Prime Minister of Barbados (23 January 1971)
  • Crown Prince Harald of Norway – Crown Prince Harald of Norway (23 February 1978)
  • William McMahon – Prime Minister of Australia (9 June 1972)
  • Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon – United Kingdom (17 to 19 October 1972)
  • Džemal Bijedić – President of the Federal Executive Council of Yugoslavia (19 March 1973)

A total of 30 trees were planted here between 1969 and 1984, before a lack of space saw a new Garden of Fame established on the grounds of Jurong Town Hall.

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