The Buddhist temple of Datsan Gunzechoynei, translated from Tibetan – the source of the Holy teaching of the all-Compassionate – is currently the northernmost Buddhist temple in the world. It belongs to the traditional Sangha of Russia and is very attractive not only for tourists, but also for residents of the city for its unusual, noticeable difference from other buildings of the Northern capital.
The construction of the temple in St. Petersburg began after the representative of the Dalai Lama XIII, Agvan Dorzhiev, received permission to build it in 1900. As soon as the Emperor said that all Buddhists were protected by the double-headed eagle, the construction of the temple was repeated. For 18,000 rubles, Dorzhiev was able to buy a piece of land in the Northern part of the city. In 1909, an architectural plan was created, in accordance with the canons of Tibetan architecture, by architects N. M. Berezovsky and G. V. Baranovsky. The construction of the Datsan was completed in 1915. The first service was held on February 21, 1913. The Church was consecrated in 1915 on February 10. The temple was one of the most expensive in Europe, as the rest in Russia were built of wood and brick, and the Datsan of granite. It is also known for its stained glass windows, which depict eight good Buddhist symbols.
The most interesting thing is that the Buddhist community in St. Petersburg began to arise only at the end of the 19th century. As of 1869, there was only one Buddhist living in the city, and then in 1897 there were about 75 Buddhists, women and men. However, in 1916, regular services in the Church ended and the monks who served in it left, the reason for this was the lack of funds for the existence of the Datsan. Datsan was allowed to work again only in 1924, on the basis of the established religious policy of that time “the inadmissibility of offending the feelings of believers in the fight against” religious prejudice»
In 1937, the NKVD arrested the people who lived at the temple and the few monks who served in it.
During the great Patriotic war, the temple Datsan Gunzechoinei will be a powerful military station until 1960s. And on November 25, 1968, the temple will finally be recognized as an architectural monument.
You can visit the temple on the specified schedule for free. There is one important point, it is necessary to respect the customs, at the entrance you need to remove the hat and turn off the cell phone, move in the direction of the Sun, from left to right, and do not turn your back to the altar.
Datsan Gunzechoynei is a place that will be remembered for its exceptional atmosphere, woven from the special smell that stands in the temple and the charming silence and tranquility that reigns in this building. You will undoubtedly be delighted by visiting the Datsan and will remember the unusual architectural solutions of this temple more than once.
Author: Anna Glazunova
Location : St.Petersburg
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