Panoramic look for Churches, Mosques, Chinese, Indian and Sikh Temples of Penang
The places of worships in Penang tells you alot
about our heritage, culture and tradition. In almost every corners of Georgetown,
you see a mixture of of temples, churches, mosques and memorial Halls. The early Europeans
memorials though not places of worship reminds us the contributions in the beginning of the 19th century.
When you walk around Georgetown, it is a common sight seeing all kinds of prayers
being conducted in places of worship.
It is not strange to say, almost every week there is an event or temple celebration,
be it in a Chinese, Hindu or the minority groups like the Burmese and Thais prayer houses.
The bells ringing in the Indian temples, the incense fragrances permeating from the
Chinese temples and calling five times prayers from the
Muslim mosques. What about the lovely architecture,
mystical beings all in gold and red. The intricate carvings on
the doors, ceiling is a sight to behold. Personally I need two to three trips to
grasp the wonder and beauty of our places of worship.
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Places of Worship: Cheng Kon Sze
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These has become our island interesting place of worship where locations all over
Georgetown and Penang offers colorful attractions of temples,
churches, mosques, prayers hall and kongsi (clan house).
The knowledgeable Tourist
Locals and tourist alike are attracted to the nostalgic part of the places they visit.
In a good way it forces our local authority to take proactive measures to help maintain
and restored these historical asset. Some tourist I observed during my visit too come to
Penang searching for their forefathers or ancestor origin.
So this new breed of tourist has changed holidays destinations like Penang not
so much for escape but for information and knowledge. It is no longer a place only for
visiting. If only you could see them basking in the sun in cemeteries, or temples,
churches reading through the little information we have prepared, I guessed you and
I must become more knowledgeable of our own forefathers before all is lost.
They not only desire to observe the culture in the galleries, but also to experience
it, to feel the fragrances of the place and every aroma that Penang has got to offer.
Our beautiful impressive architecture, the colors, the sound and the smells. And it is
not only food they are here!
Do you have any places of worship you want to share?
Tell us your
favorites. If not, come back periodically to find more of these buildings
with historical background.
Our Penang People
The multi ethnic society of present day Penang was largely created during the
British administration in the late 19th and 20th centuries. The Chinese
were bought here to work in the mines from Mainland China and the Indians to work in the plantations.

Places of Worship, Buddhist Temple: Wat Buppharam |
So our fore fathers bought with them distinct social and cultural identities. The Nyonyas,
Babas and Mamaks are among the oldest groups of
foreign origin that completes the cultural fusion and wonders of Penang.
My husband and I both 5th generation to our forefathers. We spend our time to rediscover
"ours" or "your" Penang places of worship.
Chinese Temple in Penang
I find it so fascinating whenever I have time to learn more about places of
worship in Penang. It has become a tourist attraction in Penang. I watch
in awe the carvings on the doors, the roof and architecture of different
Chinese descendant from China. If you observe closely, you learned and understand more of the
folklores, beliefs
maybe become superstitious too. The architectures of Taoist, Buddhist, Burmese or a fusion
of Chinese, Indian or Straits Eclectic architecture into Chinese Temples makes it very
fascinating for us locals too.
Not for nothing, our fore fathers try so hard to imitate what they have left
behind when they traveled the seven seas in tongkangs or Chinese junks. Whenever
I listened to older generation reminiscing the past, I cannot let all this go
only in my own memory. A cherish, treasured wonderful time with my elders. Here
is our unique Penang places of worships, temples, mosques and churches.

Places of Worship: Burmese Temple: Dhammikarama Temple |
Penang
Jade Emperor Temple - Penang Hill Railway Road, Air Itam
Bat Cave Temple
or Bit Poh Tong Penang Hill Railway Road, Air Itam
Penang Kek Lok Si Temple - Paya Terubong Hills, Ayer Itam
Cheng Kon Sze
or Cheng Jee Chan - Paya Terubong Hills, Ayer Itam
Sam Poh Temple or
Admiral Cheng He Temple - Batu Maung
Chor Soo Kong Temple - Batu Maung
Penang
Snake Temple - Bayan Lepas
Hokkien Tua Pek Kong - Armenian Street
Han Chiang Taochiew Ancestral Temple - Chulia Street
Tua Pek Kong Temple - King Street
Nine Emperor God - Macallum Street Ghaut
Seng One Beow or Temple - Bridge Street
Sun Qiang Temple - Harbour Trade Centre
Tua Pek Kong Temple - Tanjung Tokong
Penang Goddess Of Mercy or Kuan Yin Teng or Temple - Jalan Mesjid
Kapitan Keling
Chinese Temples in Butterworth
In Mainland Butterworth Malaysia, just a ferry away, you will find opulent embellished
temples. Admire the recent beautiful works of Chinese artisans recently restoring and
expanding this once small community temples. Community
donations have helped expand and restored and have turn it into the pride of Butterworth.
Tow Boo Kong Temple
in Jalan Raja Uda, near to Mak Mandin Industrial Estate
Kepala Batas
Nine Emperor Gods Temple - Kepala Batas
Thean Hock Keong - Bajam Ajam
Burmese or Thai Temple in Penang
In the early days, the sleeping Buddha temple was called Pulau Tikus
Siamese Temple. And opposite is the Burmese temple granted by East India
company on behalf of Queen Victoria to Nongmay and Boonkhan, the first two
of many women benfactors who contributed to the expansion of the temples.
Wat Chayamangkalaram - The Sleeping Buddha Temple
Penang
Dhammikarama Temple, oldest Theravada Burmese Temple
Mahindrama Temple - Kuantan Road
Wat Pingban Onn - Green Lane
Buppharam Thai Buddhist Temple - Perak Road
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Places of Worship: Acheen Street Mosque built in 1808 by Tengku Syed Hussain
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Mosque in Penang
The mosque has been the locus of both social and economic activities, which can
still be seen around it. One obvious symbol of the
Islamic community is the Lebuh Acheh Mosque, reflecting an area once richly
populated by people from Acheh, Indonesia, confirmed by the existence of
graveyards with stones resembling those of Sumatra’s and Riau’s.
The famous mosques in Penang are Acheen Street Mosque
built by an Arab merchant prince who settled in Penang in 1792. The famous
Iman Naqshabandiah Sufi leader Sheikh Omar Basheer lived in the mosque compound.
The Kapitan Kling Mosque built in 1801 was named after Cauder Mohideen
who was the captain of the South Indian community. His first wife Fatimah Nachiar
Merican or Pathini Ama as she is fondly known to many people in Penang till
this very day. Pathini Ama is important because she is considered to be a
female saint by many people throughout time.
Acheen Street Mosque - Lebuh Acheen
Nagore Shrine - Lebuh Chulia
Penang State Mosque - Jalan Air Itam
Ariff Mosque - Perak Road
Kapitan Kling Mosque - Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling
Kongsi Mosque - Balik Pulau
Jamek Haji Kassim Kampung Makam Mosque - Dato Kramat
Jamek Jelutong Mosque - Jalan Sungai Pinang
Masjid Pakistan - Jalan Macalister
Church in Penang
The oldest Anglican Church is the St George Church built in 1817.
Way back in early 20th century it has a Tamil mission and Chinese mission
school. Colonial Hutchings is the man behind the St. George's Girl School together
with Anglo Tamil Boys and Girls School.
Church of Immaculate Conception, Pulau Tikus
St George
Church, Light Street
Cathedral of the Assumption - Light Street
The Wellesley Methodist Church - Jalan Larut
Church of our Lady of Sorrows - Jalan Macalister
St Xavier's Church - Penang Road
Masonic Temple - Jalan Utama
Church of the Holy Name of Jesus - Balik Pulau
Church in Bukit Mertajam
St Anne
Church - Bukit Mertajam
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Places of Worship: Waterfall Hilltop Temple
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Hindu Temple in Penang
The oldest Hindu Temple is Rama Temple which was founded by the Queen
of the launderers, Ranee Dhoby in 1802. This is one of the most
impressive temple I have seen in all of Penang.
The original Ranee Temple
forms the inner sanctum of the place of worship which used to house the tomb
of Ranee Dhoby.
To see this temple, one can enter from York Road through a
narrow lane to Dhoby Ghaut village which the Tamils called Vannan Thora
Tedal (Laundryman's district).
Not forgetting the Waterfall Hilltop temple, Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple,
Sri Veeramakaliamman Devasthanam Temple,Nagarathar Sivan Temple, the Thaipusam
festivals made these temples popular.
Sri
Maha Mariamman Temple - Queen Street
Rama Temple - York Close, Air itam
Balathandayuthapani Waterfall Hilltop Temple - Waterfall Road
Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple - Waterfall Road
Nagarathar Sivan Temple - Dato Kramat
Sri Veeramakaliamman Devasthanam Temple - Dato Kramat
Sri Krishna Bagawan Alagam Temple - Sungai Dua Penang
Sri Kunj Bihari Temple - Penang Road
Sri Meenaksi Sundraeswar Temple - Waterfall Road
VTM Chettiar Temple - Balik Pulau
Sri
Singamuga Kaliamman Temple - Teluk Bahang
Hindu Temple in Butterworth
Arulmigu Karumariaman Temple - Jalan Todak
Sikh Temple in Penang
Gurudwara Sahib Khalsa Dharmak Jatha, Jalan Gurdwara, Penang
Gurudwara Sahib Sikh Police - Patani Road, Penang
Wadda Gurudwara Sahib - Patani Road, Penang
Sikh Temple in Butterworth
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Places of Worship: St Anne Church in Bukit Mertajam |
Gurudwara Sahib Perai, Penang
Gurudwara Sahib Butterworth, Penang
Gurudwara Sahib Bukit Mertajam, Penang
Penang is an extremely tolerant society which accommodates many different beliefs.
The historic religious enclave in inner George Town lays testament
to this. On the same short street of Masjid Kapitan Keling (formerly Pitt Street),
one can find the Kapitan Keling Mosque, the Goddess of Mercy Temple
and the St George's Church.
Further away are the Maha Mariamman Temple on Queen Street and the Acheen Street Mosque.
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