The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, Buddhist stupa in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado, US
The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya is a white, tower-like structure at Drala Mountain Center that combines classical Tibetan architectural elements with modern design. The structure houses sacred relics and serves as a center for Buddhist practice and teachings.
The site was identified as auspicious by the 16th Karmapa in 1974. Construction began in 1988 to inter the ashes of Chögyam Trungpa, who died in 1987, and took thirteen years. The stupa was consecrated in a multi-day ceremony in summer 2001 attended by lamas and Trungpa's students.
The structure represents North American Buddhist architecture while maintaining traditional design elements from Tibetan religious practices and spiritual symbolism.
The site sits on Shambhala Way and remains open to visitors year-round, with regular meditation sessions and teaching programs available. Plan to move at a slow pace and respect the quiet atmosphere to experience the spiritual setting fully.
The 16th Karmapa, head of the Kagyü school, chose the site as auspicious during his first North American visit in 1974, years before construction started. The Dalai Lama first visited the stupa in September 2006.
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