Thai Buddhist Temple in Lausanne, Switzerland

Thailand has always had a special place in my heart because the best years of my life were lived there. When I planned my trip to Switzerland, this summer, I was surprised when researching, that there was a Thai temple on the lakeshores of Geneva in Lausanne. It was my second site to visit in Lausanne and is situated in a park overlooking lake  Geneva.

As I had no camera in Thailand I’m so happy to have been able to photograph such a wonder. It might be tiny but the detail is all there! 

Some different facades and closer ups

 

The golden Crown like shape is what traditional Thai dancers where on their head with six inch long gold metal nails if you see a show. In Thailand some special temples actually use actual gold . 

The pinnacle is really high and hard to photograph

In Thailand, while driving around in the countryside, you often see temples in the distance with all the gold shining in the sun. Stunning, but up close the intricacies are astounding. Now onto the inside…

Inside a marble floor

          intricate layer variety for the sides and ceiling

Ceiling middle point 

Stunning pillars 

The panels underneath also differ on different sides 

The curved windows have some slight touch of Arabic-ness but seem to me, shaped to hold the enlightened head. Most people don’t know, but any Buddha as decor in homes, should always be above your head. 

The  late Thai king spent a lot of time in Lausanne, loved it and thus gifted this temple to Switzerland. He was dearly loved by his people, so it was fitting while visiting, that three Thai ladies arrived and promptly took off their shoes and all bowed down in front of him well, the statue at least. In Thailand at the time from 1996 to 1998, it was customary to sing the national anthem to the King, who appeared on screen at the cinema before a movie started. 

The late king 

It’s definitely a dragon or am I mistaken? 

And from afar …