Sultan Mosque in Singapore

Along with Chinatown’s Buddha Tooth temple, Sultan Mosque is definitely up there with Singapore’s most impressive religious buildings, both in terms of appearance and sheer size. The main prayer hall can hold up to 5,000 worshippers, while the mosque’s dome base can also be accessed, formed out of hundreds of glass bottles that were donated by devotees as part of the building’s reconstruction.

A true testament to the multiculturalism of Singapore, authorities often block off the road during peak times to allow worshippers space to mingle around the mosque. The surrounding cafes and restaurants on Muscat Street and Arab Street also have a strict rule of not selling any alcohol (though these pleasant alfresco spots are still well worth a visit for their Middle Eastern menus, good coffee – and shisha pipes!

If you’re around Bugis Street, the short walk to Kampong Glam (the Arab Quarter) should be high up on your priorities list. Combining a visit here with a quick look at this fantastic mosque is highly recommended too, even if it’s just for a quick photo-op in between your shopping or cafe-hopping. A couple of roads down, you’ll also find the fantastic Haji Lane, which does not enforce the no-alcohol policy and is also well-known for its range of boutiques and bars.

Find Singapore’s Sultan Mosque at the top of Muscat Street – just look out for the crowds or its iconic glowing dome and it will be easy to find.