Thian Hock Keng Temple is the oldest Hokkien temple in Singapore. The main temple is dedicated to Matsu, the Taoist sea god and protector of sailors. The temple itself is built on the site of a former joss house, and dates from 1839-1842. It is located on Telok Ayer Street, which was once the seafront and main commercial centre of Singapore. The construction of the temple is from the timbers of Chinese Junks, and the tiles were formerly the ballast. The mosaics were formed from the broken pottery from ships in the harbour. In 1907, the temple recieved a calligraphic panel from the Emperor of China, Guang Xu.

Location: Singapore
Image Size: 3888 x 2592 Pixels

Photographer: Scott Douglass