Conserved Building

249 Balestier Road

Applicable Guidelines

Other Building Guidelines

Conservation Area

Balestier Conservation Area

Historic address: 249 Balestier Road

Goh Chor Tua Pek Kong Temple

About

Goh Chor Tua Pek Kong was established in 1847 by Chinese Hokkien labourers working on Joseph Balestier's sugar plantation on the northern fringe of his estate. "Goh Chor" is the Chinese transliteration of "Rochor", and the temple was dedicated to the deity Tua Pek Kong (Grand Old Man), who is believed to be the guardian saint and Earth Deity of overseas Chinese in South-East Asia.

The History

The early Chinese labourers referred to this area by the name of this temple, testifying to its importance to the community — it was one of the main centres of religious and social activity for locals. A permanent wayang stage was erected by Tan Boo Liat, a descendant of pioneer Tan Tock Seng, in 1906. It is one of the few remaining freestanding wayang stages in Singapore and still hosts many Chinese operas presented to the deity by devotees.

The Building

The temple is a single-storey masonry Hokkien-style temple with gable roofs and a courtyard in front. The red walls are typical of Hokkien buildings, and the main ridges feature elaborately moulded plaster with bands of deep relief.

Guidelines and Procedures

All proposed works will need to comply with the Conservation Guidelines and the Specific Restoration Guidelines (SRG). Conservation Permission is required before all additions & alteration works and operations of new use can begin.

Residential Fronts are characterised by timber casement windows flanking a double-leafed timber door. All buildings with residential front which is existing and/or identified in the 'Specific Restoration Guidelines', regardless of land use zoning, shall be retained and restored.