TIONG BAHRU AIR RAID SHELTER

[SOURCE: SPARKLETTE MAGAZINE]

The Tiong Bahru Air Raid Shelter is not only a very special heritage site in Tiong Bahru, but also an important war heritage site of Singapore. It is Singapore’s last pre-WWII civilian air raid shelter that still exists today. It was constructed in the 1939. The shelter has been left untouched except for minor repairs in order to maintain its original architectural integrity.

Built in the basement of Block 78 Guan Chuan Street. It has an estimated capacity of 1,600 people. Today, it remains hidden behind the rows of coffee shops and café, right beside the carpark.  The Air Raid Shelter was not used very often as Tiong Bahru was not a main target for Japanese bombers.

The shelter is the only air raid shelter that was built inside a public housing building and is one of a kind. It was built by the Singapore Improvement Trust which is the colonial predecessor of today’s Housing Development Board.

[SOURCE: TIMELESS BEAUTY WORDPRESS]

The Tiong Bahru Air Raid Shelter was opened to the public again for the first time in 2012. However, the visitors had to register to the National Heritage Board for a guided tour. They see it as one of the various historical activities to celebrate the 70th Anniversary for the Battle for Singapore.

The inside of the Tiong Bahru Air Raid Shelter is not opened for public entry as of today, but there are a lot of informative boards about it displayed right outside showcasing its history. It is definitely worth a visit to appreciate its architectural beauty as well as see how it looks like.