Palcho Monastery

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Palcho Monastery with walkway lined by prayer wheels.
Palcho Monastery with walkway lined by prayer wheels.
Palcho Monastery as seen from Gyantse Fortress. The gold-topped, white building is the Kumbum.
Palcho Monastery as seen from Gyantse Fortress. The gold-topped, white building is the Kumbum.
The Kumbum of the Palcho Monastery.
The Kumbum of the Palcho Monastery.

The Palcho Monastery or Pelkor Chode Monastery or Shekar Gyantse is the main monastery in Gyantse, Tibet, next to the Dzong or fort. It is most notable for its Kumbum, which has 108 chapels in its four floors. The monastery was founded in 1418 by the second Prince of Gyantse, Rabten Kunsang, who was a devotee of Kedrub Je, Tsongkapa's disciple. It became an important centre of the Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism.

In 1904, the town and monastery were attacked by British soldiers and, although most of the damage was later restored, bullet holes from this attack remain in the monastery to this day.

It was partially destroyed in 1959 after a revolt against Chinese rule.

It was ransacked during the Cultural Revolution, but has since been largely restored.[1] [2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Dowman, Keith. 1988. The Power-places of Central Tibet: The Pilgrim's Guide. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London and New York. ISBN 0-7102-1370-0, p. 273
  2. ^ Tibet: a travel survival kit. (1986) Michael Buckley and Robert Strauss, pp. 157-162. Lonely Planet Publications, South Yarra, Australia. ISBN 0-0908086-88-1.
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