The Armenian Church is the oldest surviving Christian church and was the first to be built in Singapore. Funds were raised from the Armenian communities in Singapore, India and Java as well as from local European and Chinese residents. Construction of the Church commenced in 1834 and was completed in 1835. It was consecrated on 26 March 1836.
Singapore's Armenian community has been small but prosperous. There were only twelve Armenians in Singapore when the church was built, and no more than one hundred at its subsequent peak. Although the community has declined in number, regular Orthodox Christian services continue to be held at the Church.
Prominent Armenians included the Sarkies brothers, who established Raffles Hotel, Catchick Moses, a co-founder of The Straits Times newspaper, and Agnes Joaquim, who discovered the natural hybrid orchid named after her in 1893 (now Singapore's national flower Vanda Miss Joaquim).
The interior of the church is in the traditional Armenian style. The exterior (which originally featured a domed roof) is a neoclassical design by G D Coleman, the settlement's first qualified architect. Appointed the first Superintendent of Public Works, he also maintained a successful private practice. The Armenian Church is one of the few surviving examples of his work and is considered one of his finest. It was gazetted as a national monument in 1973.