Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

Built in 1873, this building was originally constructed by Thamboosamy Pillai as a private shrine for his family. Visitors, who are required to remove their shoes at the main entrance, are greeted by the tallest structure in the temple, the gopuram (tower), which is a 23-metre high five-tier pyramidshaped gate tower that symbolises the threshold between the spiritual and material world. The temple vault also holds the tallest Hindu silver chariot in Malaysia while the temple’s decorative features include intricate carvings of Hindu deities as well as Italian and Spanish tiles. Opened to the public in the late 1920s, the temple is the oldest Hindu temple in the city. Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is located in the Chinatown area and surrounded by various Chinese establishments, which reflects a space where different ethnic groups can coexist in harmony.