Fo Guang Shan He Hua Temple

The Fo Guang Shan He Hua Temple stands out on the Zeedijk with its traditional Chinese palace architecture, featuring red pillars, upturned eaves, and bright yellow roof tiles that contrast sharply with the narrow, gabled brick buildings of the surrounding street. As the largest Buddhist temple in Europe built in this style, it serves as a center for Humanistic Buddhism. Its name, He Hua, means lotus flower, a symbol of enlightenment chosen because the lotus grows out of muddy water while remaining pure—an image that local supporters felt captured the temple’s intent to revitalize a street once known for drug-related decay.