Being born into a practicing Buddhist family is a colorful religious experience. I grew up accustomed to a blend of Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism, Confucian values and more. Everything was intertwined with culture, family tradition, interesting rituals and ancient folklore that supposedly shapes present occurrences.
Am I religious? No.
Do I believe? Debatable! 🙂
When I found out there is a Buddhist temple somewhere in Utrecht, I was intrigued. Buddhist temples are a rarity in the Netherlands. Am I wrong?
This journey took me to Utrecht Centraal, the largest, busiest, and most important railway and transit hub in the Netherlands! From here, the trip was a further 16-min with a local bus to the Zuilen neighbourhood.
At first sight, the building was very unassuming. Look at that!
“Longquan Temple van Groot Mededogen Utrecht”
The Buddhist Longquan Temple of Great Compassion Utrecht was founded by Chinese residents of the Netherlands, supported by Buddhist nuns from Mainland China, and consecrated in 2015. It is also a monastery managed by the Chinese bhikkhunis. The property was a former church building.
I was greeted by a volunteer at the door. She directed me to put on shoe covers before entering the main hall. I gladly obliged. I picked up the picture guide in English (also available in Dutch and Mandarin) on my way in. I certainly needed the highlights explanation.
As soon as I stepped into the prayer hall, the outside world faded into nothingness. Complete silence. I was alone.
I quietly roamed around the hall, recognising these imposing statues from my childhood years. Something that my mother said about how to identify popular Buddhist iconography with their specific poses, hand gestures, and companion figures. Surprisingly, I was listening to my mother!
In this temple, you will be introduced to Mahayana Buddhism. It teaches us to have compassion; to help, care and defend all living beings.
There are three big Buddhas, two disciples on the sides and four bodhisattvas. The swastika on the Buddha’s chest is an ancient Buddhist symbol for good fortune and the virtuous achievements of the Buddha.
There were no offerings such as flowers or fruits on the altar table during my visit. A common practice by worshippers to show gratitude for the Buddha’s teachings.
I stood there for a while admiring the statues. Remembering it has been a while since I prayed.
Looking at the walls, I was surrounded by two thousand tiny golden statues of Bodhisattva Guanyin, the deity of mercy and compassion. Growing up, my parents used to have a home alter set up dedicated to this Goddess of Mercy, performing a daily worship ritual. A deity I knew well.
I observed the Heart Sutra at the back of the hall. A sutra is a sacred Buddhist text. They are often speeches of the Buddha, written down retrospectively. I do not read Mandarin, so I was just admiring the calligraphy.
I took a seat and glanced at the picture guide. Those familiar old feelings of faith. A deep sense of connection back to my roots, stirring up personal memories to the surface.
As I made my way to the exit, a friendly nun dressed in traditional robes came over and greeted me. We chatted for a while, with me struggling to converse in my broken Mandarin! I understood from the conversation that I should go back some days to join their festivities and activities. I felt very welcomed.
Visiting Longquan Temple of Great Compassion was a serene and enlightening experience.
Note: The Longquan Great Compassion Temple is part of the Grootste Museum van Nederland (translation: Largest Museum in the Netherlands), an initiative of Museum Catharijneconvent uniting churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. Each of these worship house has their own remarkable history, impressive architecture, devout culture and one of a kind works of art to show for. As of 2026, there is a total of 27 houses of worship from various traditions and times.
You can enjoy various unknown and hidden religious splendour in the Netherlands. Most of them are for FREE!
Definitely worth your attention! https://www.grootstemuseum.nl/en/
Website: https://www.grootstemuseum.nl/en/all-churches/longquan-temple-of-great-compassion/
Address: Adriaan van Bergenstraat 18. 3554 VE UTRECHT.
Opening Hours: Saturday to Thursday 1030hrs – 1500hrs. Closed on Friday.
Entrance Fees: FREE admission
Getting There: From Utrecht Central Station you can take bus to the temple. Use https://9292.nl/en/ to plan your ride. Free car parking in the neighbourhood.
