Nan Tien Temple, Wollongong
Nan Tien Temple, Wollongong
We spent New Year’s Eve in Sydney, went to the fireworks at Darling Harbour - both sessions - stayed at the “Posh Hotel” then headed to Wollongong for the first day of 2013. We stayed a couple of days at the beginning of 2012; we enjoyed it so much that this year we decided to stay a week.
They have big new year celebrations at the Nan Tien Temple, so it’s a good time to arrive. Lots of people, food stalls, celebrations, parades. This was 1 January, we haven’t been in residence at Chinese New Year.
It was built in 1995, don’t know the architect(s), but everything designed in the traditional styles for the types of buildings. There is a main temple and a secondary one either side of a large courtyard. A covered way defines the courtyard’s perimeter and meeting and learning rooms lead off it. In one corner a large dining hall and kitchen.
Built on the side of a north facing hill, there are many levels of accommodation. At road level, under the secondary temple there is a smart cafe for day visitors. A multi-level stupa greets visitors as they approach the complex. On the far side is the three-storey accommodation block where we stayed. The whole site is held together with beautiful gardens and pathways that meander over the hillside. A couple large of ponds, one filled with lotus blossoms in the summer, provide a habitat for gold fish and ducks.
The whole composition has been very carefully thought out. It says much about the influence that architecture can have on your sense of well being. It’s not that it is a religious institution, but the way the site is composed, the spaces between, and the fact that the buildings exhibit exceptional craftsmanship. Everything combines to become a wonderful place to relax and refresh.
Tuesday, 22 January 2013