Balestier Heritage Trail - Faith, Film and Food

Estimated Trail Distance: 2.3 km
Goh Chor Tua Pek Kong Temple
Places
Goh Chor Tua Pek Kong Temple

Goh Chor Tua Pek Kong Temple was established in 1847 by Hokkien workers who were employed at a sugar cane estate owned by Joseph Balestier, the first American Consul to Singapore from 1836-52.

Former Rayman School and Estate
Places
Former Rayman School and Estate

The single-storey building housing the Handicaps Welfare Association formerly served as Rayman School from 1953 to 1984.

Whampoa Makan Place
Places
Whampoa Makan Place

Whampoa Makan Place, a popular wet market and food centre, stands on the site of a former municipal wet market known as Rayman Market, which opened in 1952 to serve residents of a former housing estate called Rayman Estate.

Masjid Hajjah Rahimabi Kebun Limau
Places
Masjid Hajjah Rahimabi Kebun Limau

Masjid Hajjah Rahimabi Kebun Limau was built in 1984.

Sungei Whampoa
Places
Sungei Whampoa

Like much of Singapore back in the early 1800s, the Balestier precinct was a forested region.

Phang Pheng Mei Temple
Places
Phang Pheng Mei Temple

Balestier is home to many former zhaitang ("vegetarian hall" in Mandarin).

Former Malay Film Productions Studio
Places
Former Malay Film Productions Studio

The former Malay Film Productions (MFP) studio was established in 1940 by Shaw Organisation, which was founded by brothers Runme Shaw and Run Run Shaw.

Chan Chor Min Tong - Bassein Road
Places
Chan Chor Min Tong - Jalan Kemaman

Chan Chor Min Tong is a Buddhist organisation with institutions at two locations in Balestier: Jalan Kemaman and Bassein Road.

Boon Teck Road Water Kiosk and Thong Teck Sian Tong Lian Sin Sia
Places
Maha Sasanaramsi Burmese Buddhist Temple

Thong Teck Sian Tong Lian Sin Sia is a Buddhist-Taoist temple established in 1950.

Kwan Yow Luen Shophouses
Places
Kwan Yow Luen Shophouses

Designed by Kwan Yow Luen , these shophouses were built in 1928 by Sim Cheng Neo, a lady whose family home was located at 503 Balestier Road.

Balestier Market
Places
Balestier Market

Balestier Market is the only surviving rural market building in Singapore.

This is a self-guided trail.

  1. Goh Chor Tua Pek Kong Temple
  2. Former Rayman School and Estate
  3. Whampoa Makan Place
  4. Masjid Hajjah Rahimabi Kebun Limau
  5. Sungei Whampoa
  6. Phang Pheng Mei Temple
  7. Former Malay Film Productions Studio
  8. Chan Chor Min Tong - Jalan Kemaman
  9. Maha Sasanaramsi Burmese Buddhist Temple
  10. Kwan Yow Luen Shophouses
  11. Balestier Market

Goh Chor Tua Pek Kong Temple
Former Rayman School and Estate
Whampoa Makan Place
Masjid Hajjah Rahimabi Kebun Limau
Phang Pheng Mei Temple
Former Malay Film Productions Studio
Chan Chor Min Tong - Bassein Road
Boon Teck Road Water Kiosk and Thong Teck Sian Tong Lian Sin Sia
Kwan Yow Luen Shophouses
Balestier Market

Duration: 1.5 hours on foot

The Balestier area is home to many places of worship, traditional food trades as well as landmarks from the Golden Age of Malay Cinema. This thematic trail brings you to religious buildings, a former movie studio as well as “makan places” around the neighbourhood. 

 

Downloads

Other Suggested Short Trail Routes

You May Also Like

card-img-top
COLLECTIONS

Ten dollar note used during the Japanese Occupation
card-img-top
COLLECTIONS

Photograph of a Japanese lottery ticket
card-img-top
STORIES

Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail: A Route to Discovery
card-img-top
STORIES

Bedok Heritage Trail: A Glimpse of the Seaside Town of the Past
card-img-top
PLACES

Balestier Heritage Trail
card-img-top
PLACES

Balestier Heritage Trail - Building Balestier
card-img-top
RESOURCES

Arts and Culture Employment Study 2016
card-img-top
RESOURCES

Singapore Cultural Statistics