Masjid Bencoolen (
Jawi: , ta, பென்கூலன் பள்ளிவாசல், Peṉkūlaṉ Paḷḷivācal; Also known as ''Bengkali Mosque'') is a
mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
in
Bencoolen Street
Bencoolen Street is a street in Central, Singapore that starts at the junction of Rochor Road, Rochor Canal Road and Jalan Besar and ends at the junction of Fort Canning Road, Stamford Road and Orchard Road. The street houses several landmarks i ...
,
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
. Masjid Bencoolen can accommodate 1,100 worshipers. The mosque is co-located and integrated with a 12-storey Somerset Bencoolen serviced apartment tower.
History
Founded in 1825, the building was originally an attap mosque built by Bencoolen Muslims. The building was later replaced in 1845 by a permanent version built by an Arab merchant, Syed Omar bin Aljunied. In 2001, due to redevelopment of the area, it was demolished for Somerset Bencoolen, a mixed used residential complex. The mosque itself is integrated into the building and opened in 2004.
In 2019, it was announced that it would undergo a 15-month long upgrading programme estimated to cost S$4 million, which increased the capacity from around 450 to 1,450 congregants.
Today
The mosque has very much retained its Indian heritage since its founding. This can be seen in mosque's official name and signboards. Sermons and religious classes are also offered in Tamil. The mosque is usually crowded during Friday prayers as workers from the nearby offices gather for the compulsory prayers. The mosque is fully air conditioned. There are ample parking facilities located at the basement of the mosque.
Transportation
The mosque is accessible from
Bencoolen MRT station
Bencoolen MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the Downtown Line (DTL) in Singapore. It is located at the boundary of Rochor and Museum planning areas. Situated under Bencoolen Street, the station serves primarily ...
.
See also
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Islam in Singapore
Practitioners of Islam make up about 15.6% of Singapore's residents, according to the 2020 census. Islam is the third largest religion in the country, after Buddhism and Christianity. Over four-fifths of Singaporean Muslims are ethnic Malay ...
*
List of mosques in Singapore
There are 72 mosques in Singapore. Almost all the mosques in Singapore are administered by Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura, with the exception of Masjid Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim which is administered by the Malaysian state of Johor. Twenty-three m ...
References
External links
2004 establishments in Singapore
Mosques completed in 2004
Bencoolen
{{Singapore-mosque-stub