Hajjah Fatimah Mosque
4001 Beach Road, Singapore 199584
This site is gazetted as a National Monument of Singapore on 6 July 1973.
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Hajjah Fatimah Mosque, or Masjid Hajjah Fatimah, is a heritage mosque built by a woman. It is located in Kampong Glam, the Malay enclave near Beach Road, within the Kallang Planning Area of Singapore. A glance at this mosque will draw out European elements in its design. That's because it is designed by a British architect, John Turnbull Thomson, the same architect who was involved in the previous St Andrew's Cathedral building. Hajjah Fatimah Mosque was built in 1845 and completed the following year.
Hajjah Fatimah Mosque. The minaret, with European elements in its design, is slightly tilted.
I shot the Hajjah Fatimah Mosque for AsiaExplorers upon arriving in Singapore from Malaysia. The mosque is located directly opposite the Golden Mile Complex where buses from Penang stop.
The Hajjah Fatimah Mosque was named after an affluent Malay woman from Malacca who married a Bugis prince from Celebes (Sulawesi). She donated the land on which her house formerly stood for the mosque. According to report, that ill-fated house was broken into twice, and on the second break in, was set on fire as well. Fortunately, Hajjah Fatimah was away when the arson took place. Relieved at being spared any injury, she handed the land over to be built a mosque.
As astute businesswoman, Hajjah Fatimah took over the business from her husband when he died, shortly after their marriage. The business continued to prosper and she amassed a huge fortune. Her only daughter, Raja Siti, married Syed Ahmad Alsagoff, the son of Syed Abdul Rahman Alsagoff, the famous Arab trader. After her death, her business passed into their family.
The grave of Hajjah Fatimah, along with that of her daughter and son-in-law, is located within the compound of the Hajjah Fatimah Mosque. Hajjah Fatimah Mosque was gazetted a national monument on 6 July 1973.
Exploring the Malay-Arab District of Singapore
Explore the sights in the Malay-Arab district of Singapore, located northeast of the Civic District. Click the thumbnail on the left to view listed sights.
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