Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
Singapore's oldest Catholic church, completed in 1847 in a Renaissance style, restored over a five-year closure.
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The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd was completed in 1847 and is the oldest Catholic church in Singapore, built to a design derived from St Martin-in-the-Fields and St Paul's Covent Garden, with a portico, a nave in the shape of a Latin cross and a spire. It closed in 2013 for a restoration that took five years and dealt with serious structural problems, and reopened in 2016 with the original fabric consolidated and the interior returned to its earlier scheme.
What you actually see
- The Renaissance front - a portico derived from London churches of the period.
- The restored interior - the nave returned to its earlier decorative scheme.
- The 1847 fabric - the oldest Catholic church building on the island.
- The setting - the cathedral among the museums and schools of Bras Basah.
When to go
Year round; the cathedral is open daily outside services. Sunday and holy day services fill it. Mornings are quietest.
Honest expectations
It closes to visitors during services. The 2013 to 2016 restoration replaced a good deal of failed material. The building is plain compared with European cathedrals of its type.
Nearby
CHIJMES is south, and the National Museum is west.
What to pack for Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.