Vesakh Festival at the Buddhist House Berlin-Frohnau

The Buddhist House – Europe's Oldest Buddhist Facility

Located at Edelhofdamm 54 in Berlin-Frohnau, on the northern edge of the city in the Reinickendorf district, is Das Buddhistische Haus. Built in 1924 by the Berlin doctor and Buddhism pioneer Paul Dahlke as a place of residence and study, it is considered the oldest Buddhist house in Europe. Since 1957, the facility has been managed by the Deutsche Dharmaduta Gesellschaft (founded by Asoka Weeraratna) as a Theravada Vihara; currently, Sinhalese monks of the Forest Hermitage tradition, Sri Kalyana Yogashrama Sangha, live here. The property with its temple hall, pagoda, and garden is a listed monument.

Vesakh – The Most Important Festival of Buddhism

Vesakh (Pali: Vesak; Sanskrit: Vaishakha) is celebrated in Theravada Buddhism on the full moon day of the month of May and is considered the most important celebration of the year. The focus is on commemorating three central events that, according to tradition, all took place on the Vesakh full moon day: the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, his awakening under the Bodhi tree (enlightenment), and his final passing away (Parinibbana). The date changes with the lunar calendar; in 2026, the Vesakh full moon day falls on May 31st.

Program of the Celebration

The celebration at the Buddhist House follows a set rhythm: the day begins early in the morning with communal meditation and puja in the temple hall. Throughout the day, there are lectures in Pali, Sinhalese, German, and English – mostly by one of the resident monks and occasionally by guest teachers from Sri Lanka. Midday dana (communal meal) and conversations in the garden are part of the format. At dusk, a special atmosphere arises: hundreds of small lights are lit around the pagoda and in the park. The celebration usually ends with an evening meditation around 6:00 PM.

Public and Accessible

Vesakh at the Buddhist House is explicitly open to non-Buddhists as well. No admission fee is charged; a dana box is available for voluntary contributions. Those who stay for the entire day are invited to the midday meal. Appropriate, discreet attire and silence during puja are requested. Frohnau itself is one of Berlin's greenest residential areas – with front gardens, villas from the 1910s, and the nearby Tegeler Forest.