BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Chino Hills

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is a working Hindu temple on a 20-acre site next to the 71 in Chino Hills, and BAPS calls it its Los Angeles mandir. It's open to visitors, and individuals and families don't need to book. The stonework is the reason to go. Come as a guest: people are here to worship, and the mandir has clear rules on clothing and cameras, listed below.

What's Worth Seeing

The mandir was completed in 2012 from about 35,000 pieces of stone, mainly Italian Carrara marble and Indian pink sandstone, fitted together like a puzzle. About 1,500 craftsmen in India carved its 6,600 motifs by hand before the pieces were shipped here. Roughly 900 volunteers added about 1.3 million hours of labor.

It follows a traditional North Indian style, with five pinnacles, two domes, 122 pillars and 129 archways. Forty base isolators under it guard against earthquakes.

Take your time outside, where you can also take photos. The carved pavilions and gardens around the building are part of the visit. The lower floor holds an exhibition on the history, culture and wisdom of Hinduism. Guided tours on weekends and holidays depend on available times and start at the Welcome Center, and groups and schools need to reserve ahead.

Visiting Rules

These come from the mandir's own visitor page, which is the place to check before you go.

Tops must cover the shoulders, back, chest, navel and upper arms, and leg wear must fall below the knee. Shoes come off before you go in, and the mandir asks that you leave bags and backpacks in your car.

Photos and video aren't allowed inside the upper level of the mandir building or in the exhibition on the lower level. Phone photos for personal use are fine outside the building. Professional shoots, tripods and drones need approval from the mandir administration first. Keep your phone put away inside.

You can reach the Visitor Center at (909) 614-5000 with questions.

How to Get There

Take Highway 71 to Soquel Canyon Parkway, then follow Fairfield Ranch Road. Past the stop sign, turn left into the complex. The address is 15100 Fairfield Ranch Road, and the visit page keeps the current hours and directions.

Nearby

• Chino Hills State Park has hiking and riding trails through grassy hills and oak stands, with its main entrance on Sapphire Road in Chino Hills.
• Planes of Fame in Chino is an air museum that keeps a fleet of flyable historic aircraft.