Singapore - Sultan Mosque

I've been to Singapore for a lots of trips and I've been working here on and off for the past 18 months. In all this time, I'd never visited to Sultan Mosque. This is particularly bad, as I've been working basically across the road from it for months. I finally got myself organised and wandered over for a look.


The mosque is an odd combinations of styles. It'd not in the traditional Malayan Islamic style, nor is it in the traditional Arab style. It's kind of a mix of the lot. This should probably not be surprisingly, when you learn that the building was designed by a Scottish architect. This was the only Islamic building he worked on, so he was obviously going for the "best of" approach.

Sitting atop the mosque is a rather grand golden dome. The area around the mosque is predominantly still old style two or three story shop houses, so it really does tower over the surrounding buildings.


The mosque is open to visitors just about every day all day. It's only closed when a service is taking place, which is 5 times a day. The rest of the time, you're free to wander around the prayer area. They do ask that you don't walk on the carpet though, which is fair enough. Unlike the mosque I went to in Brunei, they don't make you wear silly visitor's robes, which was good.


Inside the mosque has quite a bit of ornamentation, but nothing grandiose or extravagant. It's a community building, well used and well loved. It's not meant to be a grand statement of faith. It feels like a parish church somewhere in England - well used and well worn.

I'm glad I finally got around to visiting. It's been bugging me for a while. So that's the last thing crosses off my Singapore list!