Built in 1952, the Sri Lankaramaya Buddhist Temple is one of the most significant temples in Singapore. Here, find a massive reclining Buddha statue and a Bodhi Tree. The latter is a large sacred fig tree symbolising enlightenment—according to the Singapore Sinhala Buddhist Association, it is said that spiritual teacher Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under this tree in northern India. 

Located along Waterloo Street, the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, Kuan Yin (also known as Avalokitesvara). It is believed that praying to this all-seeing and all-hearing deity will bring worshippers inner peach and good luck. 

Temple is decked in a colourful facade featuring Chinese temple architectural styles such as its pagoda rooftop and elaborate ornate carvings of dragons and phoenixes. 

Also known as the Monkey God temple, the Qi Tian Gong Temple is dedicated to the Taoist deity, Monkey God. Founded in 1920, this temple was one of the first temples in Singapore worshipping the deity. Today, you will find over 10 intricate statues of the Monkey God within the temple, with some dating back over a century. 

Burmese Buddhist Temple, which is also known as Maha Sasani Ramsi, is one of the most popular Buddhist temples in Singapore and it’s easy to see why. Located near Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, the temple is the sole Burmese Buddhist Temple in Singapore and was built in 1875. Upon entering the temple grounds, devotees will be greeted by two lion-like figures as well as a huge, pure white marble statue of Buddha which is extremely impressive to behold and very Instagrammable.

Located along Race Course Road, Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple is well known because it houses a 300-ton statue of Buddha as well as an ebony and mother-of-pearl replica of Buddha’s footprint and a piece of bark from the original Bodhi tree under which Buddha sat. The temple’s design also reflects an interesting mix of Chinese, Thai and Indian influences which works hand in hand to create one of the most gorgeous temples in Singapore.

One of the largest Buddhist temples in Singapore, the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery was founded in 1912 and became the first monastery in Singapore to hold the three-step-one-bow ceremony. This ceremony includes chanting and the bathing of the baby prince Siddhartha.

The monastery features sprawling green lawns, unique artefacts such as the Bodhi tree and a massive bronze statue of Buddha. In fact, the statue of Buddha here is one of the largest in Asia.

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Thian Hock Keng was first constructed in 1840. Since then, it has continued to preserve its rich culture and traditions such as the performances by Nanyin, Getai and traditional Hokkien puppet shows. 

The temple firmly believes in staying relevant while not compromising its roots and regularly holds free guided tours to introduce the public to the heritage of the building as well as the customs and faith. Although the temple’s primary deity is Mazu, a Chinese sea goddess, a shrine dedicated to the Buddhist bodhisattva of mercy, Guanyin, is located at the back of the temple as well.

Located right in the heart of Chinatown, the iconic Buddha Tooth Relic temple is hard to miss. Built in 2007, the temple has an intricately designed interior and exhibits that are meant to relay historical stories of Buddhist culture and religion. 

What makes this temple special is the Buddhist culture museum located on the third floor. The museum is home to many sacred artefacts of Buddha such as bone and tongue relics which many believers and non-believers enjoy touring and discovering. 

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Wat Ananda Metyaram Thai Buddhist Temple is the oldest Theravada Buddhist tradition temple in Singapore and was opened in 1925. 

The building has gone through numerous renovations and upgrades since but the most significant one happened in 2014 when a new and more modern temple building was officially opened.

The new building features a Dhamma hall, mediation hall, cultural centre and more.  

The Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery is located in Toa Payoh and is one of Singapore’s oldest Buddhist temples. What makes it so special is the traditional architecture which features a rare example of a cong lin monastery in the Asian region. It is believed that a cong lin monastery layout helps to cultivate monastic discipline. The monastery was also modelled after the Xi Chan Monastery in Fuzhou, China which adds to its splendour.

This article was first published on May 10, 2022, and updated on May 22, 2023. 

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