It is located in the province of Estremadura, Central Portugal
At Quinta dos Loridos, where the largest oriental garden in Europe is located, the impressive Bacalhôa Buddha Eden covers around 35 hectares. The garden was created in protest against the destruction of the Giant Buddhas of Bamyan, in what was one of the greatest acts of cultural barbarity, erasing from memory masterpieces from the late period of Gandhara Art.
Commander José Berardo, impressed in 2001 by the destruction by the Taliban of ancient statues of Buddha in the cultural landscape and archaeological ruins of the Bamiyan Valley, in Afghanistan, conceived the project to create a garden as a tribute to the loss of that heritage of humanity.
Later, a 35-hectare space was opened on the farm with vegetation where cork oaks, oaks coexist, an artificial lake with Chinese carp surrounded by several terracotta, marble and granite statues of Buddha and other oriental deities, open to visits where they were initially free, today with a symbolic payment.
The terracotta statues, several sculptures carefully placed among the vegetation (buddhas and pagodas), it is estimated that more than 6 thousand tons of marble and granite were used to build this monumental work.
The central staircase is the focal point of the garden where golden Buddhas calmly welcome visitors.
In the central lake it is possible to observe the KOI fish, and carved dragons that rise from the water, observe the approximately 600 hand-painted terracotta soldiers, some of which are buried just as they were 2,200 years ago.
The Modern and Contemporary Sculpture garden provides a peaceful space in nature to appreciate modern art.
Selected pieces from the Berardo Collection, such as Joana Vasconcelos, Alexander Calder, Fernando Botero, Tony Cragg, Lynn Chadwick, Allen Jones and many others, are displayed in the garden, surrounded by various plants.
The open space gallery features works that are regularly replaced, providing visitors with new and interesting experiences with each visit.
The African Sculptures art garden is dedicated to the Shona people of Zimbabwe who have been carving stone by hand for over a thousand years into works of art. The Shona people believe in ancestral spirits known as "Vadzimu".
His sculptures demonstrate the union between these two worlds, the physical and the spiritual.
These incredible stone carvers maintain the belief that each stone has a living spirit, which influences what it becomes.
The artist's work is to "free the spirit from the stone" there are more than 200 sculptures arranged under the shade of 1000 palm trees.
Commander José Berardo, impressed in 2001 by the destruction by the Taliban of ancient statues of Buddha in the cultural landscape and archaeological ruins of the Bamiyan Valley, in Afghanistan, conceived the project to create a garden as a tribute to the loss of that heritage of humanity.
Later, a 35-hectare space was opened on the farm with vegetation where cork oaks, oaks coexist, an artificial lake with Chinese carp surrounded by several terracotta, marble and granite statues of Buddha and other oriental deities, open to visits where they were initially free, today with a symbolic payment.
The terracotta statues, several sculptures carefully placed among the vegetation (buddhas and pagodas), it is estimated that more than 6 thousand tons of marble and granite were used to build this monumental work.
The central staircase is the focal point of the garden where golden Buddhas calmly welcome visitors.
In the central lake it is possible to observe the KOI fish, and carved dragons that rise from the water, observe the approximately 600 hand-painted terracotta soldiers, some of which are buried just as they were 2,200 years ago.
The Modern and Contemporary Sculpture garden provides a peaceful space in nature to appreciate modern art.
Selected pieces from the Berardo Collection, such as Joana Vasconcelos, Alexander Calder, Fernando Botero, Tony Cragg, Lynn Chadwick, Allen Jones and many others, are displayed in the garden, surrounded by various plants.
The open space gallery features works that are regularly replaced, providing visitors with new and interesting experiences with each visit.
The African Sculptures art garden is dedicated to the Shona people of Zimbabwe who have been carving stone by hand for over a thousand years into works of art. The Shona people believe in ancestral spirits known as "Vadzimu".
His sculptures demonstrate the union between these two worlds, the physical and the spiritual.
These incredible stone carvers maintain the belief that each stone has a living spirit, which influences what it becomes.
The artist's work is to "free the spirit from the stone" there are more than 200 sculptures arranged under the shade of 1000 palm trees.
