Places of Worship

Waterloo Street is also known as “Harmony Street,” as it houses multiple places of worship for the five religions: Muslims Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, and Jews.

One of the oldest mosques in Singapore was built by a group of Indian settlers from Bengkulu Indonesia. Located on Bencoolen Road, Masjid Bencoolen was built in 1824. The original structure had an attap roof  which was replaced by a permanent one with the help of a wealthy Yemenite Syed Omar Aljunied. After major renovations, the mosque can hold more than one thousand worshippers. We will see the main prayer hall, as well as the Qurans translated into various languages and learn about the five pillars of Islam.

Built in 1884, Kwan I'm Thong Hood Cho Temple is the oldest Buddhist Temple in Singapore. The Temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin, the female form of Avalokitesvara God with a thousand arms originated in India. This temple draws the largest crowd in all of Singapore during the first day of Chinese New Year. We will get a chance to see devotees shaking the divination wooden sticks inside a brass container. We will learn how does the one that falls down from the container predict their future.

The magnificently ornate Sri Krishnan Temple was constructed in 1870 in a South Indian Dravidian architecture style. The Temple is dedicated to Sri Krishnan, his consort Rukmini (Radha), and to the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. The main festival associated with this temple is Janmashtami (also known as Krinashtami) celebrating Krishan’s birthday on the month of Ashtami. Devotees break their fast at midnight and bade the statue of baby Krishna with milk and honey.

Maghain-Avot Synagogue was founded in 1878 by the fathers of the Jewish Baghdadi community in Singapore. The synagogue is adjacent to the Jacob Ballas Centre where worshipers gather for social and educational events.

The Roman Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul was completed in 1870. Built by the Chinese Catholic Mission, it has a rich history serving the various Christian communities in Singapore. It was recently awarded URA’s (Urban Redevelopment Authorities) Architecture Heritage Award.

During our tour, we will learn about the history of these buildings and how they have evolved since their humble beginnings. We will also gain insight into the particular ceremonies, festivals, and deities associated with each building and how they relate to each other.

Free for children under 6 years old with each accompanying adult.