Things to see and do Lumbini

Entrusted to the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, this vast area is home to a large number of Buddhist monasteries built by different countries or communities. Its two parts are located on either side of a central canal. To the west are the Chinese monastery Zhong Hua, the Korean, Vietnamese and Nepalese temples, the Grand Stupa Lotus and the monastery of the French congregation Ling Son. To the east are the monasteries of Thailand, Sri Lanka and Cambodia, as well as the Golden Temple (Burma) which has a large golden stupa.

The temple of Maya Devi, the mother of the Buddha, is the spiritual center of Lumbini. Built on the site where Maya Devi gave birth, it features a series of ancient ruins (2,200 years old) currently being excavated. A sandstone sculpture depicting the birth of Buddha, donated by King Ripu Malla in the ^14th century, is now the object of devotion by the faithful. In front of the temple stands the column dedicated to Buddha by the Indian emperor Ashoka, who visited Lumbini in 249 BC. Standing 6 m high and made of pink sandstone, it is easy to spot.