Pagode Chua Tinh Tam, Buddhist temple in Sèvres, France
Pagode Chua Tinh Tam is a Buddhist temple in Sèvres built with three levels containing golden Buddha statues, meditation rooms, and a 14-meter-high stupa. The stupa holds sacred texts and a Buddha relic, while the structure uses traditional materials including glazed tiles and wooden elements throughout its design.
The temple was inaugurated in 1990 after years of construction by Buddhist community volunteers. The builders used materials including centuries-old oak wood from Thailand, showing how the community drew on Asian woodworking traditions for the project.
The name Tinh Tam means 'peaceful heart' in Vietnamese and reflects Buddhist Chan principles practiced by the predominantly Vietnamese congregation. The way the golden Buddha statues fill the rooms shows how the community expresses its spiritual beliefs through the space.
The temple is open to visitors mainly on weekends, and guests should maintain respectful behavior during prayer times. Comfortable shoes are useful for walking through the different levels, and the site is accessible by public transportation from central Sèvres.
The temple brings together materials from different Asian regions, including glazed tiles from China and ancient wooden flooring from Thailand, creating a blend of craftsmanship traditions. This choice of materials shows how the Vietnamese congregation connects to its broader Asian heritage.
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