- Address: 60 Hill St, Singapore 179366
- Phone: +65 6334 0141
- Website: www.armeniansinasia.org
- Opening: 1835
- Architect: George Dramgul Coleman
This landmark is considered to be a pearl in the Orthodox culture, because it is the oldest Christian temple in Singapore. Traveling through the streets of this wonderful city, not to notice the church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, which is comfortably located in the center, is simply impossible: snow-white, with columns in front of the main entrance and a low spire on the tower. In addition to its unforgettable architecture and historical value, there is a cemetery on the territory of the temple where one of the memorial tombstones belongs to a woman who brought out the national flower of Singapore.
A bit of history
The Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator belongs to the Armenian community, which since the end of the XVIII century began to settle in Singapore. In 1833, it was decided to build a church, but there was a catastrophically shortage of money for this good cause. The Armenian community of India and some private individuals from China and Europe came to their aid. And in 1835 the church was built, although at that time it was radically different from the one that it has now.
The famous architect George Coleman decided at that time to build a temple in the British colonial style, but already in ten years much had to be remade, because. some elements of the structure were not entirely reliable. It was decided to eliminate the round dome with a large bell tower, and instead put a quadrangular tower with a spire. In addition, the Armenian church in Singapore in 1950 changed its color, becoming white instead of blue, and in the 1990's it was completely rebuilt.
In the small cemetery adjacent to the temple, you can see the tombstone of the world-famous Ashken Hovakimyan (pseudonym Agnes Hoakim). At the end of the XIX century, she brought out a variety of orchids "Vanda Miss Joaquim", which won the hearts of many people with its extraordinary beauty. In addition, thanks to the fact that the flower is very viable and blossoms year-round, it has become the national symbol of Singapore.
The Church in our day
The Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator is now a national cultural monument and is protected by the state. Visiting him, parishioners can visit not only the service, but also, due to the often held exhibitions and concerts, get acquainted with the Armenian culture. The temple is located at: Singapore, Hill Street, 60 and is open every day from 9 to 18 hours.
Nearby there is a public transport station with the same name "Armenian Church", which can be reached from almost anywhere in the city by buses 2, 12, 32, 33, 51, 61, 63, 80, 197. A few blocks from The temple is one of the most popular museums in Singapore - the National Museum , which is also very interesting to visit.
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