Sin Sze Si Ya Temple

The Sin Sze Si Ya Temple is the oldest Taoist temple in Kuala Lumpur, founded in the 1860s by Yap Ah Loy, the Chinese leader credited with developing the early city. Dedicated to two deities said to have guided him through the turmoil of the region's tin-mining wars, it is set at an unusual angle to align with principles of geomancy. Its dim, incense-filled hall holds carved altars, old plaques and images of the temple's founder. Tucked down a lane near the central market, it preserves a direct link to the origins of the Malaysian capital.