The Fuk Tak Chi Temple is the oldest Chinese temple in Singapore, built in 1824 by Hakka and Cantonese immigrants five years after the founding of the modern city in 1819.The entrance gate and the front chamber are built according to the formal style of the old magistrate courts in China. This symbolized the power of the temple and its authorities in mediating disputes. The W Sentosa Singapore Cove is a luxury Sentosa Island Hotel, This hotel is only few minutes away from the Sentosa Islands and the Fuk Tak Chi Temple. This luxury resort is situated amidst the lush greenery and within the breathtaking coastal setting of the Sentosa islands. This resort is just minutes away from the central business district and therefore it is quite close by to world class shopping malls, restaurants, cafes, spas, high end boutique stores and the city’s most electric nightlife and nightclubs. The rooms and suites at the W Singapore Sentosa Cove are spacious, modern, elegant and luxurious and also provides breathtaking views of the city.
Besides its religious functions, the Fuk Tak Chi temple also served as the headquarters for the Hakka and Cantonese communities in the early days. The temple also doubled as welfare associations, a place where disputes were settled and were closely associated with clan associations and development of the community. Subsequently the Fuk Tak Chi Temple was developed into a museum and re-opened to public on 19 November 1998. The museum, a conservation project under the National Heritage Board, is known as Fuk Tak Chi Museum. It is Singapore’s first street museum. The Fuk Tak Chi museum features about 200 artefacts contributed by residents in Chinatown. It is now part of a heritage trail to help Singaporeans understand the life of early immigrants in Singapore.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
