|  Penangites are on the whole a superstitious,
god-fearing and religious lot. This tendency, and the multiracial
population has given rise to a very cosmopolitan spiritual form.
Mosques, Taoist and Buddhist temples, Indian and Sikh temples, Burmese
shrines, Thai wats and churches of different denominations dot the
streets of Penang.
Acheen Street Mosque,
Lebuh Acheen
eAlso known as Masjid Melayu, the mosque was built on land donated
by Syed Sheriff Tengku Syed Hussain Aidid who came from Acheh in
Sumatera. The 1820 mosque features a small window halfway up the
minerat which is said to have originally been a hole made by cannonball
fired during the 1867 triad riots.
 Dharmikarama Burmese Temple, Lorong Burma
A pair of elephants guard the entrance to this Burmese temple. within
the pagoda grounds is a Boddhi tree and a wishing pond. It is the
scene of many festivities during the water festival in April.
Kapitan Kling Mosque
Named after the Indian Muslim merchant, the “Kapitan Keling”
(headman) Caudeer Mohudeen who built it in the early 19th century.
It features an ocher yellow facade and dome-shaped minaret reflecting
Moorish Islamic influence. Tourists should be properly attired when
entering the mosque.
 Kek Lok Si Temple
Perhaps the finest Buddhist temple in South East Asia, the Kek Lok
Si temple stands majestically on a hill in Ayer Itam. Construction
began in 1893 and was completed in 1905. Built in tiers, the beautifully
crafted “Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas” took more than
20 years to build and was only completed in 1930. It combines a
Chinese octagonal base, middle tiers of Thai architecture and a
Burmese crown, reflecting the temple’s wide embrace of Mahayana
and Theravada Buddhism. The temple also features gardens, a turtle
pond, shrines and beautiful sculptures. This is one of Penang’s
most popular attractions.
St. George’s Church
Built with convict labor in 1818, the Anglican Church was named
after the patron saint of England, and is one of the region’s
oldest. The Greek temple in the church grounds is a memorial to
Francis Light. Today, church goers still flock to the church for
service and it remains virtually unchanged.
 Kuan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) Temple
Known as the Temple of the Goddess of Mercy, this popular Taoist
temple is located close to the Kapitan Kling Mosque on Pitt Street.
Believed to be the oldest temple in Penang, it was built in the
1800s by early Chinese settlers.
Kuan Yin was a being who had actually attained
Nirvana but stayed behind to save those souls who did not escaped
the world of suffering. The temple is also dedicated to Ma Chor
Poh, the virgin goddess of mercy and saint to sea voyagers. The
high roof of the main hall is supported by dragon-entwined pillars
carved from a type of green stone. The statue of Kuan Yin as a serenely
composed woman with 18 arms sits on an inner chamber.
Khoo Kongsi
 Probably Penang’s most picturesque
building, the Khoo Kongsi is made up of two buildings on opposite
sides to each other. One building serves as the ancestral temple
while the other is used for staging plays and operas.
The Khoo Kongsi is meant only for members of the Leong
San Tong (Dragon Mountain Hall) clan, whose forefathers came from
Sin Kang village in Hokkien province, China. Construction of the
Khoo Kongsi started in 1894 and took eight years to complete. Its
original design was very elaborate meant to capture the splendour
of the Chinese imperial palace. Its seven-tiered pavilion, dragon
pillars and hand-painted walls engraved with the Khoo emblem was
thought to have even outshone the imperial palace itself.
On the first night of its completion, the Khoo
Kongsi caught fire and many said it was because the gods were unhappy
with the scale of its grandeur. It was then rebuilt on a smaller
scale but it still retains the distinctive architecture of the master
craftsmen from China.
State Mosque, Jalan Masjid
Negeri
The State Mosque features elegant modern architecture and took four
years to complete. It can accommodate 5,000 worshippers for congregational
prayers and is usually packed on Fridays. Permission to enter must
be obtained from the State Religious department, Lebuh Pantai. Visitors
must dress appropriately and remove their shoes before entering.
Nattukotai Temple, Jalan
Air Terjun
The temple is dedicated to the deity, Bala Subramaniam, and features
prominently during the annual Taipusam festival when thousands of
devotees throung its premises for the various rites and ceremonies.
Snake Temple
The Snake Temple was built in 1850 in memory of the Buddhist priest,
Choo Sor Kong, who is said to have healing powers. Legend, however,
has it that the place used to be the home of a religious man who
gave shelter to poisonous snakes when they sought refuge there.
After his death, the snakes remained and it became a place of worship.
Also known as Temple of Azure Cloud, the serpents’ shrine
is an extraordinary one: poisonous pit vipers busk on altars, incense
burners, candlesticks, vases and tables, underfoot and overhead.
Recommended for the intrepid visitors.
 Sri Mariamman Temple
Penang’s oldest Hindu temple which was built in 1883, is filled
with colourful statues of Hindu deities. Among the priceless possessions
of this ornate building is a statue of Lord Subramaniam richly decorated
with gold, silver, diamonds and emeralds. During Thaipusam festival,
the statue is taken on a chariot procession by Hindu devotees.
 Wat Chayamankalaram
The world’s third largest reclining Buddha which measures
33 metres in length, is draped in gold-leafed saffron and reclines
on a large crematorium. This Buddhist temple is reminiscent of Bangkok’s
many wats. The intricate finish of the interior in vibrant colours
and designs is a sample of Thai architecture.
Behind the temple is a small Thai village as
well as a Thai cemetery. At this temple, the local Thais celebrate
the traditional Buddhist festivals, the Sonkran and the Loy Krathong.
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