Buddhapadipa Temple
a thai temple in suburban wimbledon
A vivid Thai Buddhist temple set in gardens in suburban Wimbledon, free to visit, with brilliant murals inside and a lake and grove to wander outside.
Free to visit · Wimbledon · Wimbledon · SW19 4AE
Opening: Grounds daily · temple hall open select hours · check times
Turn off a leafy Wimbledon street and you find something genuinely unexpected, an ornate Thai Buddhist temple with a sweeping golden roof sitting in four acres of English garden. It was the first Thai temple built in Britain and it is completely free to visit.
The main hall, the bot, is the showpiece. Inside, every wall is covered in dazzling murals hand painted by Thai artists, traditional scenes from the life of the Buddha mixed playfully with modern faces. Shoes come off and the welcome is warm and unhurried.
Outside there is a lake, a small grove of trees, a flower garden and benches, so you can easily spend an hour wandering for nothing. It feels a very long way from southwest London.
Getting there: On Calonne Road in Wimbledon, a bus or fifteen minute walk up from Wimbledon station.
Best time to go: A dry weekend afternoon when the temple hall is open and the gardens are at their best.
Insider tip: The grounds are open daily but the decorated hall opens on limited hours, usually weekend afternoons, so check before you travel. Dress modestly and be ready to take your shoes off.
Official site: https://www.buddhapadipa.org
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide