The Gate of Fort Canning and the adjoining wall is all that remains of a fort which was built on the hill between 1859 and 1861. In 1867, the fort had seven 68 pound guns, eight 8 inch guns, two 13 inch mortars and several 14 pounder cannonades.

Fort Canning is a small hill in the southeast portion of Singapore, within the Central Business District. The hill was known as Bukit Larangan prior to the arrival of Stamford Raffles in 1819, which means "Forbidden Hill" in Malay. The local settlers back then believed it was the site of palaces built by their ancestral kings. The Keramat Iskandar Shah at the foot of the hill was believed to be the resting place of the last Malay king of the island.

Fort Canning Hill was named after Lord Charles John Canning, the Governor General of India.