Situated in Wimbledon, the Buddhapadipa temple was the first Thai Buddhist temple to be built in the UK.

 

It is home to monks and nuns, but welcomes visitors of any faith to view the grounds and temple as long as they are respectful.Its white exterior walls are put into contrast by the red and gold colours of the roof and decorations of the frames of the windows and doors.Inside the temple hall, the walls are covered with paintings showing the life of the Buddha—from his birth to his death. There are pictures of his birth in Lumbini (Nepal), his renunciation, his enlightenment, and finally his death.

 

The murals were painted by artists Chalermchai Kositpipat and Panya Vijinthanasarn in a surreal style using brilliant colors that, at first glance, seems very unlike classical Thai painting. However, they revive the tendency found in traditional Thai mural paintings to situate episodes from Buddhist myth in scenes populated with figures and objects from contemporary life.