Today, as they did four decades ago, devotees at ISKCON New Vrindaban are embarking on a labor of love.

They’re undertaking the restoration of the Palace of Gold, home to Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya, to continue spreading his glories to the world. 

Devotees began building the Palace with their own hands back in 1973 as a simple residence for Srila Prabhupada, who enjoyed the peace and spiritual atmosphere of New Vrindaban during his visits.

But as construction progressed, their plans became more and more ambitious. Srila Prabhupada was frequently expressing his desire to retire from the active management of his growing movement to focus on his translation work, and he often cited New Vrindaban as the place to do this. So his disciples wanted to create a home truly befitting him there.

Working with no pay and very little experience, they trained themselves in traditional artisanal skills. Designer Bhagavatananda said he didn’t have the slightest idea whether or not he was breaking architectural rules – he and the other devotees just worked from inspiration. The results, straight from their hearts, were stunning, as workers spent hours painstakingly handcrafting each piece.

Throughout, Srila Prabhupada’s love and encouragement kept them going.

“Regarding New Vrindaban I was very happy when I was there,” he wrote to Kirtanananda on October 5th, 1974. “Not only myself but all devotees and GBC members all enjoyed the atmosphere of New Vrindaban, especially the cow protection scheme. May Krishna give more facilities to advance the cause of New Vrindaban, and I am expecting very soon to go there and live in my proposed palace at least for some time.”

But Srila Prabhupada would never stay at his Palace while he was physically alive. He passed away in 1977 before it was completed. Yet this only fueled his disciples’ determination to construct a singularly beautiful monument to their beloved guru, his astounding achievements and the gifts he had given the world.

After all, the guru never dies but is always present in his instructions – so Srila Prabhupada still resides in his Palace in spirit as long as he is remembered and honored there by his followers.

In 1979, Srila Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold officially opened its gates to the public. Thousands of tourists, as well as one thousand devotees from all over the world, flooded in to see Prabhupada at his New Vrindaban home.

One of them was Gopisa Das, who arrived at New Vrindaban to help finish the Palace’s wrought iron gates and cook for the festival. Now, thirty-four years later, he is ISKCON New Vrindaban’s Director of Facilities and also the acting project manager for the Palace restoration.

“I was absolutely overwhelmed when I first saw the Palace,” he says. “It was so beautiful. But what was most exciting to me was the spirit of cooperation, to see so many devotees working together for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada.”

Today, as they did four decades ago, devotees at ISKCON New Vrindaban are embarking on a labor of love. 

With its gold-leafed domes rising above the emerald West Virginia hills, Prabhupada’s Palace is an impressive feat of architecture. Visitors can walk through the award-winning Palace Rose Garden and up the steps to the Palace, pausing before they enter to marvel at the picturesque views from one of the four corner chattras, or domed lookouts.

Inside, sunlight pours in through thirty-one stained glass windows, made from over 1,500 pieces. The walls and floor are made from fifty-two kinds of marble, each piece cut, polished and set with loving care.

And the rooms, originally designed for Prabhupada’s personal use, include a bedroom, a bathroom, and a study where a life-sized replica