First Buddhist Temple in the Czech Republic

A first for the Czech Republic: the country’s first Buddhist temple has now been ceremonially opened in Svaty Kriz (meaning “Holy Cross”), near Cheb.

The temple in the Czech Republic came about through the initiative of Buddhist immigrants: Vietnamese people who live in Cheb . From now on, Buddhist ceremonies will be held there on the first and fifteenth of every month, drawing Buddhists from all over the Czech Republic to make pilgrimages to Svaty Kriz to pray. Buddhist places of worship can also be found in other Czech towns and cities, and are easy to recognize by their pagoda-style architecture. But until now, the Czech Republic had no proper Buddhist temple.

The first Buddhist temple in the Czech Republic: a rocky road

The Vietnamese Buddhists faced a long road to the inauguration of the first Buddhist temple in the Czech Republic. To build it, they had to fill out countless forms and obtain permits from the Czech authorities. They also had to request and secure permits from Vietnam. The vast majority of Vietnam’s population is Buddhist; only around eight percent of Vietnamese people are Catholic.

The opening of the Czech Republic’s first Buddhist temple also brings to light an interesting facet of our neighboring country. The Czech Republic, a young country between tradition and modernity, is adding another intriguing splash of color to its diversity. The temple is also evidence that the Czech Republic—a country of cultural, religious and historical significance—can and wants to continue developing in all these areas today.