Thian Hock Keng Temple, Singapore

If you’re in the mood for a cultural curveball, check out Thian Hock Keng, Singapore’s oldest Hokkien temple and a place whose name promises nothing less than “Heavenly Happiness.” The building itself is a feat of 19th-century craftsmanship: Southern Chinese architecture built without a single nail (!), every tile and beam shipped over from China like a very elaborate care package. The temple rose on the spot where early immigrants once offered prayers to Ma Cho Po—known in Mandarin as Mazu—their fiercely protective Queen of Heaven. Her statue, also brought from China for the temple’s grand opening in 1842, still occupies the centre of the main hall, flanked by the God of War on one side and the Protector of Life on the other, just in case anyone needed extra reassurance.

From the street, the temple doesn’t simply catch your eye—it practically waves at you. Dragons roam across its sweeping roofs, and the entrance brims with ceramic flowers, foliage, and lively figures. The side gates take things further with vivid tiles of peacocks, roses, and the Buddhist swastika motif, symbolising good fortune and longevity. Two stone lions guard the threshold, while the painted door gods stand ready to keep unwanted spirits at bay.

Walk through the main entrance, and you’ll find two courtyards leading to the heart of the temple, where Ma Cho Po’s shrine takes pride of place. To the left, a pagoda honours Confucius; to the right, another shelters ancestral tablets belonging to the immigrants who founded this sanctuary. Signboards help decode the many symbolic details scattered throughout, and the large burning ovens—often glowing steadily—signal where offerings to gods and ancestors are sent on their way.

Before you leave, head to the back wall along Amoy Street. A striking mural stretches its entire length, illustrating the journey of early 20th-century Chinese migrants who crossed the sea chasing new beginnings in Singapore.

Even if not worshiping, you may still want to come here for a serene atmosphere, richly layered heritage, and enough intricate decoration to keep your inner photographer blissfully occupied.

A quick tip: Be mindful of worshipers and keep your photography to the front area. And just a few steps away, you’ll spot an unexpected neighbour—Nagore Dargah, an Indian Muslim mosque—because in this part of town, history shares walls quite cheerfully...