Details

Visit from Tuesday - Friday 10.30am - 2pm and 3pm - 6.30pm
Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10.30am - 6.30pm

On his first visit to Spain in 1990, the Buddhist Master Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche, gave teachings at the Karma Guen meditation centre in Velez Malaga and by 1994 his first Stupa was built there as landmark of peace and prosperity for the country. Rinpoche loved Spain and it´s people and began to make regular visits making his teachings more available to others. Along with the mayor of Benalmadena, Enrique Bolín, he began planning the construction of the biggest Stupa in the western world in Benalmadena Pueblo, where it offers some spectacular views along the coastline. Construction began in 2002 and the inauguration was on 5th October 2003. The Enlightenment Stupa is a Buddhist monument for peace, prosperity, harmony of the world and of course, a place for meditation. A 3 dimensional model that serves as a bridge between the visible and the invisible, and the geometrical shape symbolises among others the elements of the earth, water, fire, air, space and consciousness. Stupas are energy generators and transformers, believed to have a strong pacifying and protecting effect.

This quotation from Lama Govinda gives us a taste of why Stupas were built and what they signify now and in former times.
'It is through the language of archetypal symbols that we reconnect ourselves with the primordial ground from which all human culture has sprung... Among the oldest of architectural forms, the Stupa is a universal symbol of enlightened mind, a familiar sight in all countries where Buddhism has flourished. In the Stupa we find the ancient reliquary monuments once built for kings and heroes transformed into profound expressions of knowledge. Rightly interpreted and understood by both reason and intuition, it mirrors the harmony and perfection of universal principles and invites the human mind to awaken its full capabilities...'.

It is recommended to walk around the Stupa in a clockwise direction to make strong wishes as Buddhists believe that wishes made near a Stupa may become true.
The paintings on the wall of the meditation hall represent the life story of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni and were painted by an artist from Nepal. An exhibition based on the ´´Buddhist Himalayas´´ is currently being prepared in the lower room and visitors will soon have a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the culture, traditions and religion from the "Roof of the world"
It really is a most fascinating structure standing proud in Benalmadena Pueblo, and the maintenance of the Stupa is exclusively financed with incomes from the souvenir shop and kind donations.