The Stupa is a monument designed to preserve sacred relics or remember the memorable events of Buddha's earthly life, but it is also the symbolic, three-dimensional representation of Buddha's enlightened mind. Originally it was a simple mound, but over time it has become the oldest type of architectural construction in Buddhist art. Generally a hemispherical dome shape, it is surmounted by a square-shaped construction. The devotees who go there on pilgrimage walk around it in a clockwise direction for auspicious reasons. The great Stupa of Enlightenment of Merigar houses the remains of the master Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. In 2016, the Buddhist community of Arcidosso was also enriched by the Little Stupa of Enlightenment and the Stupa of the Dazzling Splendor, built entirely in Carrara marble.
