Situated along what is today Telok Ayer Street, the Thian Hock Keng Temple, also known as the Temple of Heavenly Bliss, is one of the oldest Chinese places of worship in Singapore. Constructed between 1839 and 1842 with donations from devotees, the temple's main hall was dedicated to Ma Zu Po, a deity widely regarded as the Goddess of the Sea. Early devotees went to the temple to seek blessings from and give thanks to the Goddess for safe sea voyages. The site was designated as a national monument in 1973.
