The seven layered tower of the Pagoda in Hanover, Germany. The tower houses the mythical precursors of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. Also, in endless shelves we find some 10,000 small Buddha images, each image donated by a family. Traditionally, in East Asia a pagoda tower is meant to store the ash of a deceased family member. This habit is not allowed according to German laws, however. Photo at the Vesakh festival, May 1999.