How a labyrinth is different than a maze, and where you can find a new one in Portland

Good luck finding your way through that thing… but you won’t need it. It’s a labyrinth, not a maze. Here’s how the University of New England, which has popped up in the news a lot lately (click here, here and here) and hosts this labyrinth on its Portland campus, describes the difference.

A maze presents many choices of paths and direction; whereas a labyrinth has only a single, non-branching path leading to the center and is not designed to be difficult to navigate. It is also considered an ancient meditative tool that has been in existence for thousands of years.

The above labyrinth was built by landscape architect Ethan Stebbins, and an opening reception will be held at the UNE Art Gallery today at 4:30 p.m. in part to appreciate “those who helped support its construction.”

Seth Koenig

About Seth Koenig

Seth has nearly a decade of professional journalism experience and writes about the greater Portland region.