The ornate gopuram (grand tower entrance) on this iconic temple’s façade is built in Dravidian-style architecture and decorated with Hindu deities and mythological figures. Behind the main prayer hall, there are several smaller rooms with shrines honouring various deities. The oldest Hindu temple in Singapore, Sri Mariamman Temple serves as a focal point for the Hindu community, and is dedicated to Goddess Mariamman, known for her powers in curing epidemic illnesses.

While similar in Dravidian-style architecture to Sri Mariamman Temple, Sree Ramar has its own unique qualities. In addition to statues of Hindu deities such as Ramar, the temple is also home to statues of Lord Buddha and Guan Yin (Goddess of Mercy), reflecting Singapore’s multi-religious makeup.

Thian Hock Keng Temple (or “Temple of Heavenly Happiness”), is the oldest Chinese temple in Singapore dedicated to Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea. Early Chinese immigrants would come here to give thanks for their safe passage across the South China Sea. The temple was constructed without the use of a single nail, and its unique Fujian-style architecture can be distinguished by its detailed sculptures of dragons and deities as well as colourful broken porcelain on the roof ridges.

Completed in 2007, this Buddhist temple sports a charming yesteryear aesthetic. The architecture strictly follows northern Chinese temple styles, complete with Tang Dynasty details. The abbot of this temple was extremely rigorous while working on its architecture: He ensured that it abided by tradition in order to reflect Singapore’s Chinese heritage and pay homage to its neighbourhood of Chinatown.

The oldest Anglican church in Singapore was built on land donated by an Arab settler and is said to be inspired by the design of a 13th-century English church. There are three primary components of this church, establishing its relation to the Church of England: the Canterbury Stone, the Coventry Cross and the Coronation Carpet.

Designed in the Palladian style, and newer of the two synagogues in Singapore, the Chesed-El Synagogue is a Renaissance-era revival of ancient Greek and Roman architectural features. This style is characterised by arches, Corinthian columns and a covered porch where the original intent was to allow horse carriages to pass through.

The current building of “Masjid Sultan” was completed in 1932 and bears all the hallmarks of the Indo-Saracenic style, which is a style that combines traditional Persian, Moorish and Turkish influences. Look closely and you’ll spot glass bottles decorating the bottoms of its domes—this design solution enabled members of the Muslim community to contribute to the construction of this mosque.

Opened in 2004, the mosque looks nothing like one, and that was intentional. Forum Architects deliberately avoided domes, arches and minarets in order to, according to the mosque, search for a contemporary Singaporean identity. In doing so, the architecture focuses on ‘calmness’, ‘spirituality’ and ‘a sense of oneness’, with natural light as a prominent medium, and it won the Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award in 2008.

With its Postmodern architecture, this Catholic church is well known among locals for its striking blue slate roof. It resembles origami folds in the shape of a tent, symbolizing the ‘tent of meeting’ in the Old Testament. Another noteworthy architectural feature includes the interior of the church. The main sanctuary is built in a cruciform shape, and the four points at which the hall meets the roof are paneled with glass to allow natural light to dramatically illuminate the interiors.