Thean Hou Temple

Another place in Kuala Lumpur where you haved a superb view of the city. This is one of the largest Chinese temples in South-East Asia and is located on top of Robson Hill. This temple belongs to the Malaysian Chinese community in Malaysia and public donations made it possible to open the temple in 1989.

The temple has four levels. The lowest level houses the nursery, souvenir shops and food court while the first floor is the main hall where cultural and religious activities are held. On the second level, one can find the marriage registration office and resource centre. The main temple shrine is located on the third floor. Upon reaching the temple shrine, one will be amazed by the dragon-inspired columns and pagoda rooftops. It is also a perfect place to relax and enjoy the panoramic view of the temple set against the Kuala Lumpur skyline.

This is a spectacular place and a first class example of the beauty of Chinese architecture. Before you enter the temple grounds you have the fountain of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy and statues of gods and lions. The main shrine with Thean Hou Goddess, the Goddess of the Sea/Ocean, you find on the third floor of this four levels temple. Even if this is a place for worship there are more than 100 cultural activities annually with the Chinese 15v days New Year celebration, when the temple is decorated with thousands of red lanterns, as the main event.

Since its opening, the temple has been endorsed by the Tourism Development Council as a tourist destination. Thousands of people visit the temple every year to offer prayers to the three deities.

Thean Hou Temple is a perfect place to just sit down and relax and watch the majestic Kuala Lumpur skyline behind the spectacular pagoda roofs of the temple. The temple is very popular among newly married couples to take their wedding photos. On the second level you can find the marriage registration office, a service that more than 5000 couples are using annually.

In addition to her altar in the prayer hall, there is also a smaller statue of Guan Yin to the right of the hall, set amongst rocks and falling water. Here one can kneel and receive a blessing of water from the statue. Outside the temple at the entrance to the grounds, there is a larger statue, similarly set amongst rocks and falling water.

This syncretic temple with elements of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism is a grandiose structure and represents a successful combination of modern architectural techniques and authentic traditional design featuring imposing pillars, spectacular roofs, ornate carvings and intricate embellishments. Its grand architecture has made it a popular tourist destination.