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Singapore Travel Guide

One Stop Guide To Singapore Travel
About Singapore      Things To See      Religious Places
Religious Places

Singapore is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural and therefore there are also multiple religions present in Singapore. From many forms of Christian faiths to Hindu Temples there are many temples, mosques and churches for all faiths, both ‘mainstream’ and less well known. There are services in many languages too so there is no reason your spiritual self should be neglected.

Budha Tooth Relic TmpleBuddhist & Taoist Temples

Buddhism is the dominant religion of Singapore. There are many Buddhist temples across the island state. You can see a Buddhist temple in every other street or sub-urban residential area. However, Singapore has few Buddhist temples which interests tourists.

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple located in the heart of Chinatown is home to the Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic in a magnificent Relic Stupa composed of 420kg of gold donated by devotees. The Temple is dedicated to Maitreya Buddha. Visitors can see the beautifully carved wooden Maitreya Buddha image placed in the breathtaking 27 feet high main hall of the temple. The temple also houses Buddhist Culture Museum, Tripitaka Chamber, Eminent Sangha Museum and Exhibition Hall where exhibitions relating to religious arts and culture of Singapore will be held regularly.

Sakya Muni Buddha TempleThe Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple is one of the most prominent and widely visited Buddhist temples in Singapore, often referred to as the Temple of 1,000 Lights. It features a 15-meter high statue of a seated Buddha, which weighs nearly 300 tons, as well as many smaller Buddha images and murals depicting the life of Shakyamuni Buddha. The large central statue is surrounded by a stylized aura made of numerous light bulbs--often lit during evening hours--from which the temple derives its nickname. In a small room beneath the altar is an image of a reclining Buddha, Buddha towards the end of his life, under a Yellow Seraka Tree. The temple is located in Race Coarse Road near Little India.

Thian Hock Keng TempleSingapore has over 70% of Chinese ethnic people. There are many Chinese Taoist temples dedicated to Taoism which has the second highest following in Singapore. The Thian Hock Keng Temple, built in 1821 by seamen in a thankful gesture towards safe passage. The materials used to construct the temple were imported from all over the world, with ironwork from Scotland, towering granite pillars carved with dragons from China and tiles from England and the Netherlands. The temple is located in Telok Ayer Street. Traditional festivals such as the Chinese New Year, Zhong Yuan Jie, Mid Autumn as well as cultural performances are organized at the Thian Hock Keng temple attracting locals as well as tourists. These activities are opened to the public and audiences of any background are welcomed.

Christian Churches

St Andrews CathedralSt Joseph's ChurchSingapore has a significant Christian population due to its colonial legacy. So are the churches in Singapore which in Victorian style. There are churches belonging to almost all the denominations of Christianity. The most visited and biggest among all is the St. Andrews Anglican Cathedral located near the City Hall MRT. Saint Andrew's Cathedral expresses its affiliation with the Anglican Communion in England through three symbolic objects. Set in a pillar by the lectern, the Canterbury Stone engraved with a bronze cross was presented by the Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Canterbury and is a sign of Saint Andrew's allegiance to the See of Canterbury. On the column that supports the pulpit is the Coventry Cross, made from two silver-plated iron nails from the ruins of the 14th century Coventry Cathedral. The Coronation Carpet in the Epiphany Chapel is a portion of the flaxen carpet that was used for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey.

The St Joseph’s Church located in Victoria Street belongs to the Roman Catholic denomination. The church is the first Roman Catholic places of worship. The church architecture is influenced by Latin building style.

Abdul Gafoor MosqueMosques

Over 15% of Singaporeans follow Islam with ethnic Malay being the majority followers. There are many mosques located across Singapore. The most beautiful of all the mosques is the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque located in Little India along Dunlop Street. The mosque was constructed in 1907, and major restoration of the building was completed in 2003.  The striking feature of the mosque is the main entrance to the prayer hall which is pedimented with an elaborate sundial in which the 25 rays of the sunburst are done in calligraphy. The sundial is flanked on either side by a series of pilasters and columns in miniature. The pediment above the sundial is shaped like an onion dome. The two square minarets on the left and right are complete with miniature columns and arches.

The Masjid Hajjah Fatimah is a mosque located along Beach Road in the Kampong Glam district within the Kallang Planning Area in Singapore. The mosque was completed in 1846. The mosque represented a mix of local Islamic and European architecture, having been designed by colonial architect John Turnbull Thomhe, mosque was named after a lady of the same name, who was a wealthy donor to the building.

Sr Mariamman TempleHindu Temples

Hinduism is practiced by local Indian community and has few of the most visited places of worship. The Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple. It is an agamic temple, built in the Dravdian style. Located at No. 244 South Bridge Road, in the downtown Chinatown district, the temple serves mainly South Indian Tamil Hindu Singaporeans in the city-state. Due to its architectural and historical significance, the temple has been gazetted a National Monument and is a major tourist attraction. Built in the South Indian Dravidian style, most outstanding feature of the temple is its impressive gopuram (entrance tower). Hindu GodsThe gopuram rises above the main entrance along South Bridge Road. It is richly embellished with six tiers of sculptures of Hindu deities, other figures and ornamental decorations. The tower tapers up towards to a moulded ornamental ridge. The scale of each tier and its sculptures is slightly smaller than that of the tier immediately below it. This helps to create the illusion of height, and adds to the symbolic importance of the building. Flanking the gopuram are a sculpture of Murugan on the right and Krishna on the left (as you enter). The sculptures are all of plaster, which allows for fine detailing. They are painted in a variety of bright colours, which adds to the visually spectacular quality of the gopuram.

Little India has three other Hindu Temples located along the Serengoon Road. The temples are Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple and Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman Temple. The annual thaipusam festival is held at the Srinivasa Perumal Temple in the month of January.

Tips for Travelers

Visitors are advised to dress and behave properly while visiting places of worship. Footwear is prohibited in religious places belonging to Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and Hinduism.