Wat Buddhapadipa

Wat Buddhapadipa is a Thai Buddhist temple in Wimbledon, London. The temple stands on four acres of land at 14 Calonne Road. It began in 1965 when the Thai government bought a house in East Sheen. King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit opened the first temple in 1966. The name means ‘Light of the Buddha’. In 1975 the monks moved to the Wimbledon estate to build an ordination hall. The ordination hall was designed by Thai architect Praves Limparangsri. Princess Galyani Vadhana consecrated the hall in 1982. Inside are three Buddha statues: the Black Buddha, the Golden Buddha and a replica of the Emerald Buddha. The Black Buddha is 650–700 years old and came from Bangkok. The murals were painted by thirty Thai artists over eight years. Visitors enter the ordination hall to see the three Buddha statues. The central room’s murals show the Buddha’s life on four walls. The side rooms show stories from the Mahānipāta Jātaka. The artists used a contemporary style that was new for Buddhist art. The temple grounds are quiet and spacious, offering a peaceful place to walk.