The places of worship in Penang tells you a lot 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, the temples, churches and mosque it is a common sight seeing all kinds of prayers being conducted.

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 colorful tapestry of our cultures is deeply embedded till today.

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.

Places of Worship: Cheng Kon Sze

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!

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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.

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.

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.

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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. The temple is worth you making your time to visit. See more photos here.
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. Some people find this temple fascinating, maybe more photos might tell you why.
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. Activity in this temple never stop, see more photos.

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. The activity leading to the Nine Emperors festival is just as important as the celebration itself.
Kepala Batas Nine Emperor Gods Temple - Kepala Batas Thean Hock Keong - Bajam Ajam

Places of Worship: Acheen Street Mosque built in 1808 by Tengku Syed Hussain

Burmese or Thai Temples 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

Mosques in Penang

The mosque has been the locus of both social and economic activities, which can still be seen around it.

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

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.

Places of Worship: St Anne Church in Bukit Mertajam

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.

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.
More photos of the Church. There are more churches in our Penang Heritage City.

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

Places of Worship: Waterfall Hilltop Temple

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 places 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 a popular place of worship.

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 Temples in Penang

Gurudwara Sahib Khalsa Dharmak Jatha, Jalan Gurdwara, Penang
Gurudwara Sahib Sikh Police - Patani Road, Penang Wadda Gurudwara Sahib - Patani Road, Penang

Sikh Temples in Butterworth

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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