Buddhist Temples
Below is an illustrated index of the 53 Buddhist Temples profiled on Sacred Destinations so far. For photo credits, please see corresponding articles.
Thousands of stone Buddha statues mourn the dead at this unusual hilltop temple. The main hall contains a medieval Amida Buddha.
A series of 29 Buddhist cave temples dating from as early as the 2nd century BC, the Ajanta Caves contain some of the best masterpieces of Buddhist art in India.
Angkor Thom means "the great city" in Khmer. The 12th-century Buddhist royal city is famed for its grand Bayon Temple, but has several other sights of interest as well.
Angkor Wat is the star of Angkor and indeed all of Cambodia. Believed to be the largest religious structure in the world, this Hindu temple is designed as a microcosm of the universe.
In the exact center of Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple represents the intersection of heaven and earth. Built around 1190, the Buddhist temple is famed for its enigmatic faces.
This Japanese Buddhist temple is associated with the Jodo Shinshu school, which emphasizes devotion to Amida Buddha.
The largest stupa in Nepal, Boudhanath is the center of Tibetan culture in Kathmandu and rich in Buddhist symbolism.
An important example of 8th-century Silla architecture, home to no less than seven Korean national treasures.
Founded in 1416, this monastery on the outskirts of Lhasa was once Tibet's largest and most influential, with over 10,000 monks. It remains active today.
The Ellora Caves are a magnificent complex of 34 Buddhist, Hindu and Jain temples extending over more than 2 kilometers in central India.
This is the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world, carved out of a cliff by an 8th-century monk to calm the turbulent confluence of three rivers. Each eyebrow is 18 feet long.
Originally intended to be coated in silver, this harmonious temple ended up in simple wood. It houses an image of Kannon and includes lovely gardens.
This monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha was cast in 1252. It sits serenely in the grounds of Kotokuin, a Pure Land Buddhist temple.
Best known for its complete copy of the Buddhist scriptures, the 14th-century Tripitaka Koreana.
This hilltop temple with a view of the sea houses a huge gilded statue of the goddess Kannon. Outside are hundreds of Jizo statues, dedicated to the souls of unborn children.
Completed in 1988, this Chinese Buddhist temple and monastery in Hacienda Heights is the largest in the United States.
A non-denominational Chinese Buddhist temple, Hua Zang Si is housed in an old Gothic church building in the Mission District of San Francisco.
This is an active Chan (Zen) Buddhist monastery but the real emphasis is squarely on tourism. What the busloads come for are the temple's two gorgeous white jade Buddhas.
This historic temple in Lhasa is the holiest site in Tibetan Buddhism. It houses a venerated Buddha statue and has been a major pilgrimage destination for centuries.
This gold-leaf-covered temple is one of the most beautiful sights in Kyoto, nestled in the woods and reflected in the waters of its garden pond.
This popular Buddhist temple offers a healing waterfall and an incredible view over the city of Kyoto from its wooden terrace.
Kumari Ghar is home to the Living Goddess, a specially chosen young girl believed to be the incarnation of Durga. The brick building is beautifully decorated with wood-carved reliefs.
The place of the Buddha's passing away, Kushinagar is one of four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites in northern India and Nepal.
This temple is fairly touristy but is still worth a visit for its colorful 17th-century architecture. It is an active Tibetan Buddhist center, but one that is officially sponsored by the Chinese government.
The largest and busiest Buddhist temple in Shanghai, Longhua is famed for its 10th-century pagoda and peach blossoms. Also notable is a gilded Buddha statue under a carved dome.
Stretching for a half-mile along the west bank of a river, this site includes some 1,350 caves and 40 pagodas, filled with thousands of Buddhist statues carved out of the hard limestone cliffs.
One of four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites, Mahadevi Temple in Lumbini marks the site of the Buddha's miraculous birth.
This sacred stupa marks the site of the Buddha's enlightenment and is the main destination for Buddhist pilgrims. The temple dates from the 2nd century AD but has been restored over the years.
These Buddhist cave temples were a center of culture on the Silk Road from the 4th to the 14th centuries and contain well-preserved religious murals and carvings spanning that entire period.
This historical park in north-central Thailand is the ruined capital of the Sukhothai kingdom, founded in 1238. The moated central zone contains 21 temples in a beautiful setting of lawns, lakes and trees.
Founded in 1975 and housed in a former Presbyterian church, this Tibetan Buddhist monastery hosts regular classes and services.
Founded in the 8th century, Samye Monastery was the first Buddhist monastery built in Tibet. It is designed like a mandala, with the central temple symbolizing Mount Meru, center of the universe.
This ancient temple in Asakusa is home to the biggest festival in Tokyo and features a huge main gate, a five-story pagoda and a main hall dedicated to Kannon.
An 8th-century Buddhist cave temple in the hills above Bulguksa, this is the only structure surviving fully intact from the Silla era.
These Buddhist monasteries on the sacred mountain of Song Shan are famed for their long association with Chan (Zen) Buddhism and martial arts. Today most of the "monks" are aspiring kung-fu actors.
Approached by a steep staircase, the atmospheric "Monkey Temple" is the oldest and most important Buddhist shrine in Kathmandu.
One of the most atmospheric sites at Angkor, this 12th-century Buddhist temple is fighting a losing battle with the mighty roots of the thriving jungle.
Founded when Nara was the capital, Todaiji was the head temple of all provincial temples in Japan. It is home to the largest Buddha statue in Japan, which weighs 250 tons.
This beautiful Buddhist temple is a major landmark on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The central chedi, covered in shells and porcelain, represents mythical Mt. Meru.
Named for the white Carrara marble of which it's constructed, the Marble Temple is the most modern and one of the most beautiful of Bangkok's royal wats. It also has some interesting European influences.
Built in 1391 and expanded later, this impressive temple was damaged in the 1545 earthquake and never rebuilt. It once contained the Emerald Buddha.
Located in peaceful green grounds, this unique and elegant temple was built in 1453 to host the Eighth World Buddhist Council. Its design is based on the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya, India.
Wat Chiang Man is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai, begun in 1306. It enshrines the Crystal Buddha, one of the greatest treasures in Thailand.
Dating from the 18th century, Wat Mahathat is one of Bangkok's oldest shrines and the headquarters of Thailand's largest monastic order.
According to legend, a 14th-century woman named Penh found sacred Buddhist objects in a nearby river and placed them here on the small hill that is now home to Wat Phnom.
This is the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok, built in 1788 on the site of an even earlier temple. It is known as the birthplace of Thai massage and the home of the giant golden Reclining Buddha.
The holiest Buddhist shrine in Thailand, this large temple complex within the Grand Palace houses a revered statue of the Emerald Buddha.
The Temple of the Lion Buddha is an important Buddhist monastery founded in the 14th century. It houses two medieval Buddha statues and includes some notable Lanna architecture.
The holiest shrine in northern Thailand, this Buddhist temple crowning Doi Suthep mountain was founded in 1386 under miraculous circumstances.
Wat Saket dates from the Ayutthaya era and was restored by King Rama I. Famous for its great golden stupa, it is used for cremation and burials due to its location outside the walls.
One of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok, Wat Suthat is famed for its beautiful roofs, huge bronze Buddha, magnificent frescoes and giant red swing out front.
Wat Traimit is home to the magnificent Golden Buddha, the largest solid-gold Buddha image in the world. Cast 900 years ago, it was hidden under plaster until its rediscovery in 1957.
Baima Si was the first Buddhist temple in China, established by Emperor Mingdi in the year 68 AD. The historic, leafy site features several ancient buildings and a highly devotional atmosphere.
