The Sri Mariamman Temple is defined by its towering entrance, a six-tiered gopuram densely packed with colorful, plaster sculptures of deities, mythical creatures, and epic scenes. As Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple, it holds a prominent…
Chinatown Heritage Trail
This walk takes you through the heart of Singapore's historic Chinatown to trace the footsteps of the city's early immigrants. You will visit sacred temples of diverse faiths and stroll down historic streets that defined daily life over a century ago.
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1. Sri Mariamman Temple
2. Masjid Jamae (Chulia)
Masjid Jamae, also known as Chulia Mosque, features twin octagonal minarets crowned with small, onion-shaped domes along South Bridge Road. Established by Tamil Muslim immigrants from the Coromandel Coast of Southern India, the mosque…
3. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple stands out for its vibrant red and gold facade, designed in the style of the Tang Dynasty. Completed in two thousand seven, the four-story structure is shaped to reflect the Buddhist mandala, an intricate…
4. Thian Hock Keng Temple
Thian Hock Keng Temple is marked by its traditional southern Chinese architecture, featuring wide, sweeping roof eaves topped with colorful ceramic dragons and phoenixes. Located on Telok Ayer Street, the complex stands out for its…
5. Pagoda Street
Pagoda Street is a narrow pedestrian thoroughfare lined with two-story shophouses featuring covered five-foot walkways. It serves as a primary artery in the Chinatown Historic District, stretching between New Bridge Road and South Bridge…
6. Sago Lane
Sago Lane is a narrow road in Chinatown that once held a reputation as the Street of the Dead. In the early twentieth century, this street became the center of a grim industry where the terminally ill, often elderly immigrants with no…
7. Smith Street
Smith Street is the only road in Singapore’s Chinatown named after a European, honoring Sir Cecil Clementi Smith, a colonial governor who served from eighteen eighty-seven to eighteen ninety-three. You can identify the street by the…