Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail

Ang Mo Kio Town Centre
Places
Ang Mo Kio Town Centre

When it was completed in the late 1970s, Ang Mo Kio Town Centre was one of the largest town centres in Singapore.

Masjid Al-Muttaqin
Places
Masjid Al-Muttaqin

Masjid Al-Muttaqin was built in 1980 by Housing & Development Board for Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), Singapore’s Islamic religious council.

Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West
Places
Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West

Completed in 1983, Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West was the largest town garden project by Housing & Development Board during its time.

Kebun Baru Birdsinging Club
Places
Kebun Baru Birdsinging Club

In 1987, Kebun Baru Birdsinging Club, Singapore’s largest bird-singing and display arena capable of accommodating more than a thousand cages, was also established on the western side of the garden.

Block 259, the "Clover Block"
Places
Block 259, the "Clover Block"

Completed in 1981, Block 259 is the only block of circular flats built by Housing & Development Board (HDB).

Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
Places
Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park

Originally called Bishan Park when it was constructed in 1986, the park was built around the Kallang River and incorporated the surrounding forests.

Ang Mo Kio Town Council
Places
Ang Mo Kio Town Council

Opened in 1986, Ang Mo Kio Town Council was the first such council in Singapore.

Dragon Playground
Places
Dragon Playground

Designed in 1979, the dragon playground at Ang Mo Kio is one of the last four such creations left in Singapore.

Chu Sheng Temple
Places
Chu Sheng Temple

Chu Sheng Temple houses three older temples from former villages in Yio Chu Kang.

Swee Kow Kuan
Places
Swee Kow Kuan

Established in 1905 at Buona Vista, Swee Kow Kuan is a temple for those with the surname Hong.

Former Cheng San
Places
Former Cheng San

Ang Mo Kio Town Garden East was originally part of a larger area known as Cheng Sua Lai or Cheng San.

Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple
Places
Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple

Established in 1978 and rebuilt in 2011, Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple houses three temples from former villages in Ang Mo Kio.

Church of Christ the King
Places
Church of Christ the King

Established in 1982 and rebuilt in 2002, Church of Christ the King is the only Catholic church in Ang Mo Kio.

Lower Peirce Reservoir
Places
Lower Peirce Reservoir

Originally named Kalang River Reservoir, it was completed in 1910 and officially opened in 1912 as Singapore's second impounding reservoir.

Sembawang Hills Estate
Places
Sembawang Hills Estate

Formerly a rubber plantation, Sembawang Hills Estate was jointly developed in the 1950s by Bukit Sembawang Rubber Estates and Singapore United Rubber Estates, rubber companies which expanded into housing development as rubber production declined.

Teachers' Housing Estate
Places
Teachers' Housing Estate

Completed in 1969, Teachers’ Housing Estate was developed by Singapore Teachers’ Union (STU).

Liuxun Sanhemiao
Places
Liuxun Sanhemiao

Completed in 1989, Liuxun Sanhemiao is a joint temple formed by three temples, Sam Ann Fu, Longxuyan Jinshuiguan and Hong San Chin Huat Temple Association.

Seletar Hills Estate
Places
Seletar Hills Estate

Developed in the 1950s by Singapore United Estates, a subsidiary of Singapore United Rubber Plantations Ltd, Seletar Hills Estate was built after the success of Sembawang Hills Estate.

Serangoon Garden
Places
Serangoon Garden

Serangoon Gardens is a private housing estate built in the 1950s that has since become a well-known food haven.

This is a self-guided trail.

Select Trails
  • Select Trails
  • Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail - Iconic Landmarks
  • Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail - Hidden Gems
  • Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail - Scenic Fringes
  1. Ang Mo Kio Town Centre
  2. Masjid Al-Muttaqin
  3. Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West
  4. Kebun Baru Birdsinging Club
  5. Block 259, the "Clover Block"
  6. Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
  7. Ang Mo Kio Town Council
  8. Dragon Playground
  9. Chu Sheng Temple
  10. Swee Kow Kuan
  11. Former Cheng San
  12. Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple
  13. Church of Christ the King
  14. Lower Peirce Reservoir
  15. Sembawang Hills Estate
  16. Teachers' Housing Estate
  17. Liuxun Sanhemiao
  18. Seletar Hills Estate
  19. Serangoon Garden
When it was completed in the late 1970s, Ang Mo Kio Town Centre was one of the largest town centres in Singapore. Equipped with key amenities such as a polyclinic, a library and shopping centres, it was designed to serve approximately 245,000 residents.
Established in 1978 and rebuilt in 2011, Ang Mo Kio Joint Temple houses three temples from former villages in Ang Mo Kio. The temples, Gao Lin Gong, Kim Eang Tong and Leng San Giam, relocated to their present site when their villages were redeveloped in the 1970s.
Opened in 1986, Ang Mo Kio Town Council was the first such council in Singapore. The idea was proposed in 1986 by then Member of Parliament for Kebun Baru, Lim Boon Heng, who envisioned residents managing the maintenance of their estates through a council.
Ang Mo Kio Town Garden East was originally part of a larger area known as Cheng Sua Lai or Cheng San. Before the 1970s, Cheng San used to extend along the former Cheng San Road, which ran from Sembawang Hills to Serangoon Gardens, parallel to the present Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3.
Ang Mo Kio Town Garden East was originally part of a larger area known as Cheng Sua Lai or Cheng San. Before the 1970s, Cheng San used to extend along the former Cheng San Road, which ran from Sembawang Hills to Serangoon Gardens, parallel to the present Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3.
Completed in 1983, Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West was the largest town garden project by Housing & Development Board during its time. The 21-hectare garden, which cost approximately $2.7 million to construct, was designed by a Japanese company, Obayashi Gumi.
Originally called Bishan Park when it was constructed in 1986, the park was built around the Kallang River and incorporated the surrounding forests. Between 2009 and 2011, the park underwent extensive renovations and multiple ponds were built along the river.
Completed in 1981, Block 259 is the only block of circular flats built by Housing & Development Board (HDB). This building was part of a pilot by HDB during the late 1970s to construct seven distinctively designed public housing blocks.
When it was completed in the late 1970s, Ang Mo Kio Town Centre was one of the largest town centres in Singapore. Equipped with key amenities such as a polyclinic, a library and shopping centres, it was designed to serve approximately 245,000 residents.
Chu Sheng Temple houses three older temples from former villages in Yio Chu Kang.
Established in 1982 and rebuilt in 2002, Church of Christ the King is the only Catholic church in Ang Mo Kio. The church houses two significant artefacts: a statue of Christ the King on the church’s façade and an icon of the Mother of Perpetual Help.
Designed in 1979, the dragon playground at Ang Mo Kio is one of the last four such creations left in Singapore.
In 1987, Kebun Baru Birdsinging Club, Singapore’s largest bird-singing and display arena capable of accommodating more than a thousand cages, was also established on the western side of the garden.
Completed in 1989, Liuxun Sanhemiao is a joint temple formed by three temples, Sam Ann Fu, Longxuyan Jinshuiguan and Hong San Chin Huat Temple Association. The temples were formerly from Lak Xun, a village in Yio Chu Kang near present-day Lentor Avenue.
Originally named Kalang River Reservoir, it was completed in 1910 and officially opened in 1912 as Singapore's second impounding reservoir.
Masjid Al-Muttaqin was built in 1980 by Housing & Development Board for Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), Singapore’s Islamic religious council. The mosque was given the name “Al-Muttaqin”, which refers to the pious who are ever aware of God the Almighty.
Developed in the 1950s by Singapore United Estates, a subsidiary of Singapore United Rubber Plantations Ltd, Seletar Hills Estate was built after the success of Sembawang Hills Estate.
Formerly a rubber plantation, Sembawang Hills Estate was jointly developed in the 1950s by Bukit Sembawang Rubber Estates and Singapore United Rubber Estates, rubber companies which expanded into housing development as rubber production declined.
Serangoon Gardens is a private housing estate built in the 1950s that has since become a well-known food haven.
Established in 1905 at Buona Vista, Swee Kow Kuan is a temple for those with the surname Hong.
Completed in 1969, Teachers’ Housing Estate was developed by Singapore Teachers’ Union (STU). Roads in the estate were named after personalities such as Tu Fu, Rabindranath Tagore, and Munshi Abdullah, who were well-known literary figures.
Completed in 1969, Teachers’ Housing Estate was developed by Singapore Teachers’ Union (STU). Roads in the estate were named after personalities such as Tu Fu, Rabindranath Tagore, and Munshi Abdullah, who were well-known literary figures.

The name "Ang Mo Kio" has no definitive origin. Some say it comes from the Hokkien term for tomatoes, while others believe it was named after a red-haired Caucasian or a bridge. Whatever the case may be, Ang Mo Kio is now a well-known HDB heartland in Singapore, with its own unique character and home to iconic parks, hidden hawker gems, and the vintage dragon playground.

Before its transformation into a housing town, Ang Mo Kio was once a plantation and farming land. Like many other rural parts in Singapore, it was first settled by gambier and pepper farmers in the early 1800s before these plantations gave way to rubber estates in the late 19th century. By the early 20th century, there were reports of vegetable farms and fruit orchards, as well as various villages established by Chinese pioneers.

In those days, residents would refer to this area as Kow Tiow Kio (“nine bridges” in Hokkien) rather than Ang Mo Kio, as one would have to cross nine bridges across tributary streams of the Kallang River to get from present-day Lorong Chuan to Upper Thomson Road. Former villagers recall Kow Tiow Kio as a picturesque area with undulating hillocks, meandering streams, farms, and ponds filled with water hyacinths and lotus.

As the seventh new town built by HDB, Ang Mo Kio’s transformation took place later than areas such as Toa Payoh and Queenstown. Kampong memories remain strong even today among former villagers, many of whom were resettled in the new town in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The village temples, which have since established themselves in new buildings in Ang Mo Kio’s neighbourhoods, continue to serve as meeting points for Kow Tiow Kio’s former kampong communities.

At the same time, Ang Mo Kio has grown a distinct identity of its own over the past decades as a new town. It is HDB’s first town to be built in metric dimensions, home to Singapore’s one and only public housing block with circular apartments, and where the concept of town councils was piloted. Long-time residents reminisce fondly of the former Oriental Emporium and Ang Mo Kio’s cinemas in the 1980s while exciting new developments such as AMK Hub enables the town to evolve and remain relevant for younger generations of Singaporeans.

Discover these memories and more on this self-guided trail of Ang Mo Kio, which brings you on a journey to learn about stories of old and visit icons of the new town!


Explore the Suggested Short Trail Routes:

- Iconic Landmarks, 1.5 hours with public transport (5.5km)
- Hidden Heartland Gems, 1.75 hours with public transport (7.5km)
- Scenic Fringes, 2.5 hours with public transport (12km)

Downloads

Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail Booklet
Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail Map - English
Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail Map - Chinese
Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail Map - Malay
Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail Map - Tamil
Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail Markers - Chinese
Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail Markers - Malay
Ang Mo Kio Heritage Trail Markers - Tamil