Sea Ip Church
সি ইপ চার্চ
A Chinese clan temple from 1905, called a church.
About Sea Ip Church
Old Chinatown has several clan temples, each built by migrants from one district of southern China, and all of them are called churches. Sea Ip, built in 1905, belongs to people from the Sze Yap (four districts) area of Guangdong. The ground floor is a club room; the shrine upstairs is dedicated to Kwan Yin, with carved wooden altars, old weapons and ceremonial furniture.
Why visit
A little-known piece of Chinese Calcutta, still looked after by its community.
What to see and do
- The carved and gilded altar upstairs
- Old ceremonial halberds and furniture
- The red-brick building with its Chinese signboard
Plan your visit
- Area
- Bowbazar & Old Chinatown, Central Kolkata
- Nearest landmark
- Tiretta Bazaar
- Best time
- Morning. October to March is the most comfortable time of year.
- Time needed
- About 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Entry
- Entry is controlled (permit, caretaker, service times or event days). A community temple. It is usually open in the morning, when a caretaker may let visitors in; this is at the community’s discretion.
- Metro
- Central (Blue Line)
- Walking
- Little walking
- Accessibility
- The shrine is up a staircase.
- Photography
- Photography is fine with some care. Ask the caretaker before photographing the altar.
Nearby and related places
- Tiretta Bazaar Chinese Breakfast: Momos, pork buns and fish-ball soup sold on the pavement at dawn.
- Toong On Church: A red-brick Chinese temple that once housed the city’s first Chinese restaurant.
- Bow Barracks: A lane of red-brick blocks, home to an Anglo-Indian community and its Christmas.
- Bauddha Dharmankur Sabha: The 1892 monastery that gave Buddhist Temple Street its name.
- Firingi Kalibari: The Kali temple linked to a Portuguese-descended poet of Bengali song.
- Bhim Chandra Nag: An 1826 sweet shop, home of the ledikeni.
Walks that include it
- Old Chinatown Exploration: Clan temples, brick barracks and a Kali for a Portuguese poet
More guides
- Places in Bowbazar & Old Chinatown
- Heritage places in Kolkata
- Places of worship to visit
- Hidden gems of Kolkata
- Free places to visit in Kolkata
- Places near a metro station
- All places to visit in Kolkata
Last checked on 2026-10-02. Each place was checked to exist and its position confirmed. Timings, closing days and ticket prices are shown only where known and can change: confirm before you travel.