'Paxmal' – Walenstadt, Switzerland - Atlas Obscura
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'Paxmal'

Walenstadt, Switzerland

A monument to peace, built by one man over the course of 25 years. 

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Paxmal
Paxmal
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Paxmal is a temple to peace built by the Swiss artist Karl Bickel. He started in 1924 and spent the next 25 years at a remote site in the mountains building this elaborate monument.

The monument sits on a beautiful site in the mountains overlooking the Churfirsten mountain range in Switzerland. Bickel built it in a style inspired by Greek temples, with tall marble columns and mosaic murals. The murals on one wall depict a family—man, woman, and the creation of a new life. On the opposite wall, the murals depict the struggles of life and the path to a spiritual awakening.

peace mosaics temples monuments
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