London Buddhist Vihara

London Buddhist Vihara
The main building on The Avenue, Bedford Park
Religion
Affiliation	Theravada Buddhism
Leadership	Anagarika Dharmapala, founder
Location
Location	Dharmapala Building, The Avenue, London W4 1UD
Country	United Kingdom
Geographic coordinates	51°29′48″N 0°15′21″W / 51.49669°N 0.25594°W / 51.49669; -0.25594
Architecture
Architect(s)	Norman Shaw (exterior); E. J. May (interior)
Completed	c. 1877
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name: London Buddhist Vihara (Former CAV Social Club)
Designated	2 February 1970
Reference no.	1079469
Website
www.londonbuddhistvihara.org

The London Buddhist Vihara (Sinhala:ලන්ඩන් බෞද්ධ විහාරය Landan Bauddha Viharaya) is one of the main Theravada Buddhist temples in the United Kingdom. The Vihara was the first Sri Lankan Buddhist monastery to be established outside Asia.

Established in 1926, the Vihara is managed by the Anagarika Dharmapala Trust in Colombo. The current chief bhikkhu of the Vihara is Ven Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera, who is also the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain.^[1]

The Vihara building, Grade II listed, was the social club for the Bedford Park garden suburb until 1939. The building was designed by Norman Shaw; the interior, now much modified, was by Edward John May.