Sultan Mosque (Masjid Sultan)

In front of you is Singapore's most important mosque. Look at it from Bussorah Street, between the palms, and you'll see why it is the most photographed sight in the district.

1From timber to domes

The first mosque was built in the 1820s for Sultan Hussein and his followers. The East India Company contributed to its construction as part of its undertakings to the sultan. It was a simple building with a tiered roof in the Malay style.

A century later it had grown too small. The community commissioned a new building from the firm of Swan & Maclaren, and the Irish architect Denis Santry designed it in an Indo-Islamic-inspired style. The work was done in stages, so the mosque never had to close, and was completed in 1932.

2Bottles for the dome

Look at the base of the domes: there is a dark band made of the ends of glass bottles.

According to the most widely told story, these bottles were donated by the poorest worshippers, so that everyone could contribute to the mosque.

Another curious detail: the building does not follow the line of the streets. It faces Mecca, which is why it sits slightly askew to Muscat Street and North Bridge Road. A national monument since 1975, it remains a busy place of worship, especially at Friday prayers and during Ramadan.

3What to look for

• The band of glass at the base of the golden domes.
• The orientation of the building, slightly skewed to the street.
• Bussorah Street, with its restored shophouses, leading up to the door.