Temples, Mosques & Shrines
Sixteen places of worship, six faiths, one very small island.
Singapore keeps a Hindu temple, a mosque and a Chinese temple on the same street and thinks nothing of it. These sixteen are open to respectful visitors. They are working places of worship first, so dress modestly, keep your voice down and follow the signs at the door.
0/16 · Fresh off the plane
1. Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
Sight · Chinatown · Free · MRT Maxwell (TE18)
Daily 07:00–17:00
Four storeys of red lacquer and gold, with a stupa upstairs and a quiet roof garden most people miss.
💡 Cover shoulders and knees. Take the lift to the rooftop garden first, then work your way down.
2. Sri Mariamman Temple
Sight · Chinatown · Free · MRT Chinatown (NE4/DT19)
Daily 07:00–12:00 & 18:00–21:00
A tower of painted deities in the middle of Chinatown, because Singapore likes its neighbours mixed.
💡 Shoes off at the door, shoulders and knees covered. It shuts at midday, so go morning or evening.
3. Thian Hock Keng Temple
Sight · Telok Ayer · Free · MRT Telok Ayer (DT18)
Daily 07:30–17:00 (last entry 16:45)
Built by sailors thanking the sea goddess, back when this street was the shoreline. Not one nail in it.
💡 Free and calm on weekday mornings. Look up: the carved roof beams are the real show.
4. Sultan Mosque (Masjid Sultan)
Sight · Kampong Glam · Free · MRT Bugis (EW12/DT14)
Sat–Thu 10:00–12:00 & 14:00–16:00; closed to visitors Fri
Singapore's landmark mosque. Look closely: the base of the gold dome is ringed with glass bottle ends.
💡 Visitors enter from Bussorah Street, Sat–Thu, in two short windows. Dress modestly; no tourists on Fridays.
5. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
Sight · Little India · Free · MRT Little India (NE7/DT12)
Daily 07:00–12:00 & 18:00–21:00
A gateway tower stacked with colourful gods on Serangoon Road. Loud, fragrant and alive at prayer time.
💡 Shoes off, dress modestly, and aim for the evening prayers. It is shut through the afternoon.
6. Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple
Sight · Little India · Free · MRT Farrer Park (NE8)
Hours unknown, check before you go
Founded in 1855 and dedicated to Vishnu. Its five-tier entrance tower can be seen from well down Serangoon Road.
💡 The yearly Thaipusam procession sets off from here. On any other day it is calm; ask before taking photos inside.
7. Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery
Sight · Bishan · Free · MRT Bright Hill (TE7)
Daily; shrine halls 08:00–16:00 (Gate 1 open 05:00–22:00)
A whole campus of halls, ponds and pagodas in the middle of the suburbs. It is big enough to need a map and quiet enough to forget the city.
💡 The shrine halls shut at 16:00 even though the main gate stays open late. Come in the morning and give it two hours.
8. Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery
Sight · Toa Payoh · Free · MRT Toa Payoh (NS19)
Hours unknown, check before you go
Founded in 1900 and modelled on a monastery in Fuzhou. Two of its halls are a National Monument, and the roof work is worth the trip.
💡 It sits in the middle of a housing estate, so few tourists come. Walk slowly through the courtyards from front to back.
9. St Andrew's Cathedral
Sight · Civic District · Free · MRT City Hall (EW13/NS25)
Daily 07:00–20:00
Singapore's oldest Anglican church building, finished in 1861. The white spire against glass towers is the photo.
💡 Open 07:00–20:00 daily. Step inside for the cool and the quiet, and skip the visit during services unless you are joining.
10. Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator
Sight · Civic District · Free · MRT City Hall (EW13/NS25)
Hours unknown, check before you go
A small round church with white columns in a quiet garden, built for a tiny community that left a very large mark on the city.
💡 Walk the garden as well as the church. Ten calm minutes here pairs well with the Peranakan Museum around the corner.
11. Central Sikh Temple
Sight · Boon Keng · Free · MRT Boon Keng (NE9)
Hours unknown, check before you go
The congregation dates to 1912 on Queen Street; this domed building opened in 1986. It is the heart of Sikh life here.
💡 Visitors are welcome, but it is a working gurdwara. Ask at the entrance what is expected before you go into the prayer hall.
12. Maghain Aboth Synagogue
Sight · Bras Basah · Free · MRT Bencoolen (DT21)
Hours unknown, check before you go
Consecrated in 1878 and still in use by Singapore's Jewish community. A neat Neoclassical front with three Stars of David.
💡 Most visitors see it from the street. If you hope to go inside, contact the synagogue well ahead; do not expect to walk in.
13. Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple
Sight · Little India · Free · MRT Farrer Park (NE8)
Hours unknown, check before you go
Founded in 1927 by a Thai monk. A 15-metre Buddha fills the hall, ringed by the lamps that give the temple its nickname.
💡 It is a short walk from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, so do both in one morning. Small, so fifteen minutes is enough.
14. Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple
Sight · Bugis · Free · MRT Bugis (EW12/DT14)
Hours unknown, check before you go
Dating to 1884, and one of the busiest temples in town. The street outside is all flower sellers and fortune tellers.
💡 It is crowded and devotional, not a showpiece. Keep to the side, keep it brief, and leave the camera down inside.
15. Masjid Jamae (Chulia)
Sight · Chinatown · Free · MRT Chinatown (NE4/DT19)
Hours unknown, check before you go
Built by Tamil Muslim traders, with two tall minarets at the gate. Sri Mariamman Temple is a short walk up the same road.
💡 A working mosque, so avoid prayer times and ask at the gate before you step in. The gate itself is the classic photo.
16. Masjid Abdul Gafoor
Sight · Little India · Free · MRT Rochor (DT13)
Hours unknown, check before you go
An early-1900s mosque on a backpacker street. The sunburst over the entrance carries the names of 25 prophets.
💡 View the front from the courtyard gate. It is a working mosque; ask before entering and stay out at prayer times.
Unofficial · not affiliated with TOKEN2049. Hours and prices change; check before you go.