Buzz
Buddhist architectural wonders are not only humanity's legacy but also spiritual pilgrimage sites attracting millions of global visitors every year.
Here are 10 Buddhist architectural marvels recently voted and introduced by Touropia online magazine:
1. Leshan Giant Buddha Statue, China – Sichuan, China
The Leshan Giant Buddha, also known as the Giant Buddha of Leshan, is a massive statue carved directly into a magnificent cliff in Sichuan province, western China.
Depicting Maitreya (or Bodhisattva) in a seated posture, it stands 71 meters tall, with fingers measuring up to 3 meters in length. The Leshan Giant Buddha is considered the largest stone-carved Buddha statue in the world today.
2. Emerald Buddha Statue, Thailand
This statue adorned in golden robes is housed in Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), within Thailand's Royal Grand Palace. Renowned for being crafted from a single piece of jade, the statue features three sets of golden attire, changed by the Thai king during ceremonial occasions.
3. Daibutsu Statue – Japan
Kotoku-in is a renowned Buddhist temple of the Jodo Shu Sect in Kamakura, Japan. Among its attractions is the seated Daibutsu statue, standing 13 meters tall and weighing 93 tons, made of hollow bronze. Originally housed in a wooden temple, it was left in its current location after a tsunami destroyed the original structure in the 15th century.
4. Reclining Buddha Statue – Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand
Famous for its Buddhist architecture, Wat Pho in Bangkok, Thailand, features a reclining Buddha statue measuring 46 meters long and 15 meters tall. Adorned with mother-of-pearl inlay on the eyes and soles of the feet, it symbolizes the 108 auspicious qualities of the Buddha.
5. Ushiku Daibutsu Statue – Ushiku, Japan
The Ushiku Daibutsu (Amida Buddha) is situated in Ushiku City, Japan, and stands as one of the tallest Buddha statues in the world today, towering at 120 meters, including a 10-meter pedestal and a 10-meter lotus platform. Officially completed in 1995, it serves as a spiritual tourism destination and a renowned site for religious practices worldwide.
6. Gia Vihare Statue – Sri Lanka
This renowned Buddhist architecture in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka, showcases four Buddha statues carved into massive granite rocks. Among them is a reclining statue stretching 14 meters long and another standing tall at 7 meters.
7. Buddha Head in Ayutthaya – Thailand
The ancient capital of Ayutthaya in Thailand is regarded as the homeland of exceptionally unique religious artworks, especially Buddha statues. Among the surviving relics is Wat Mahathat (the Great Relic Temple), housing the decapitated head of a stone Buddha statue, entwined within the roots and vines of an ancient tree.
8. Monywa Buddhas Statue – Myanmar
Monywa is a bustling city in central Myanmar located along the majestic Chindwin River, but it's more renowned for the magnificent Monywa Buddhas Statue. The Monywa Buddhas Statue stretches 90 meters in length, with its head alone towering at 1.8 meters. Constructed in 1991, the statue's hollow interior allows visitors to explore from inside out and ascend to its summit.
9. Tian Tan Buddha Statue – Hong Kong
The Tian Tan Buddha Statue, also known as the Giant Buddha, is revered by the people of Lantau Island (Hong Kong, China). Crafted from pure bronze, it was inaugurated in 1993. Named Tian Tan, meaning 'Heavenly Body', for its resemblance to a similar statue at the Temple of Heaven in the capital city of Beijing.
The statue stands atop a 34-meter lotus throne, with its right hand raised to dispel all miseries and sorrows from humanity, while the left hand rests on its knee, symbolizing the happiness of all beings.
10. Hussain Sagar Buddha Statue
This is the colossal Buddha statue erected at the heart of an artificial lake in Hyderabad, India. Standing 17 meters tall and weighing over 320 tons, it is the largest and most renowned solid stone Buddha statue in India, meticulously sculpted by numerous artisans from a single block of stone.
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Source: Mytour Travel Guide – Courtesy of: Afamily
MytourJune 28, 2013
