Hajjah Fatimah Mosque

Hajjah Fatimah Mosque is one of Singapore’s most historically significant mosques and a rare local mosque named after a woman. It stands along Beach Road in the Kampong Glam area and was completed in 1846. The mosque was commissioned by Hajjah Fatimah Binte Sulaiman, a wealthy businesswoman from Malacca who settled in Singapore and became associated with Bugis and regional trading networks. The mosque was built on the site of her former residence and was once known as Java Road Mosque, after a road that no longer exists.

Its architecture combines Islamic, Malay, Chinese, and European influences, giving the building a character different from many other early Singapore mosques. The most recognisable feature is its minaret, which has a slight tilt and is often compared to a small leaning tower. The mosque also has a prayer hall, dome, courtyard, and burial area, including the grave of Hajjah Fatimah and members of her family. Gazetted as a national monument in 1973, it remains the only surviving structure from the former Java Road settlement and an important reminder of women’s philanthropy, maritime trade, and Muslim community life in colonial Singapore.