Tibet Institute Rikon, Buddhist monastery in Rikon, Switzerland
Tibet Institute Rikon is a Buddhist monastery complex with multiple buildings designed by architect Ueli Flück and set within the Swiss mountain landscape. The structures blend Tibetan architectural traditions with contemporary design to create a functioning center for religious practice and cultural activities.
The institute was founded in 1968 when Swiss industrialists Jacques and Henri Kuhn donated land and resources to establish a center for Tibetan refugees. This founding event marked an important step in bringing this religious tradition and community to Europe.
The monastery serves as a gathering place where visitors encounter Tibetan Buddhist traditions through its spaces, ceremonies, and daily life on the grounds. People from the region and beyond come to participate in teachings and deepen their understanding of this spiritual path.
The grounds are open to visitors year-round, allowing you to walk through the property and explore the architecture and surroundings. It helps to check visiting hours beforehand, as access may occasionally overlap with ceremonies or teaching sessions.
The monastery is home to seven Buddhist monks and an abbot representing the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism who live here permanently. It remains the only such monastery outside Asia to have been established by the Dalai Lama.
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