He Hua Temple

At the end of Zeedijk street, right before Nieuwmarkt was originally a convent for nuns which was founded in 1475. The convent was later used as shop premises. In 1944, the last remnants of the building were demolished after the Jewish owners were deported during World War II. It was turned into a playground in the 1950s. Mid-1990s, there was a nuisance of drug addicts in the Chinatown of Amsterdam. The temple was commissioned by the Buddha's Light International Association based in Taiwan. It was designed by the Dutch architect Fred Greven. == Architecture ==

The leaders of the Fo Guang Shan dismissed the first temple design by architect Fred Greven as too small with incorrect measurements. The granite outdoor stairs and balustrades were made in China. The roof was originally covered with imported Taiwanese roof tiles. == Events ==

There are events during traditional Chinese festivals and important Buddhist holidays. On Vesak Day, during full moon in May, a large number of Chinese Dutch and other Buddhists come to burn incense to worship Buddha, and the many bodhisattvas. During the procession, a statue of Siddhartha Gautama is carried from the temple to the Nieuwmarkt. == Gallery ==

File:Hehuatempel2.JPG|He Hua temple File:Hehuatempel1.JPG|Temple during non-opening hours with closed bars File:Hehuatempel3.JPG|Handwritten information board File:Hehuatempel4.JPG|Incense pot File:Hehuatempel5.JPG|Gate seen from Kuan Yin Shrine File:Hehuatempel6.JPG|Kuan Yin Shrine File:Hehua1.JPG|Kuan Yin Shrine File:Hehuatempel7.JPG|Left duilian on the gate seen from the Kuan Yin Shrine File:Hehuatempel8.JPG|Right duilian on the gate seen from the Kuan Yin Shrine File:Hehuatempel9.JPG|Kuan Yin Shrine (Guanyin) File:Hehua2.JPG|Roof of the temple File:Hehua4.JPG|Altar of Skanda File:Hehua9.JPG|Altar of Guan Yu File:Hehua7.JPG|Guan Yu File:Hehua10.JPG|Skanda File:Hehua13.JPG|Jaden Buddha hall File:Hehua14.JPG|Altar of Siddhartha Gautama == References ==