Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold in West Virginia – One small religious community and one huge wonder of a Hindu palace
Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold in West Virginia – One small religious community and one huge wonder of a Hindu palace
by Jason M. on his Long Strange Trip Blog, posted 06-19-13
The Palace of Gold itself is one of a few religious buildings at the site, but is by far the most impressive. It began as a residence for the leading Swami of the community but he died before it was finished. Instead, it would be dedicated to him as a memorial shrine. The Palace of Gold was finished and opened to the public 1979.
The building is crafted of marble and teakwood and highlighted with gold and onyx. Decorations consist of things such as stained glass, terraces and sculpted gardens surrounding the palace. This modern day wonder is said to have cost the community around $600,000 (in 1970s dollars), though none of that was in labor costs. All the work was done voluntarily, by people who learned their trade as they worked.
Today, the Palace of Gold is a tourist attraction and major source of income for the community, attracting somewhere around 50,000 tourists a year, including many Hindus who come there to worship. Unfortunately, the building has been losing the battle to time and is falling apart due to poor maintenance. Current plans are to invest more than $4 million to restore it, though where that money will come from remains to be seen. To learn more about the Palace of Gold, check out their official website.
