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The Palkhor Monastery was originally built in 1418. It is famous for collecting the essences of Skyha, Gedang and Gulug (Yellow Hat) Sects in Buddhism. Therefore, the design and layout of Palhor Monastery is a combine of the three sects including in their religious statues and architectural styles, which had influenced to one another with their best parts. The Bodhi Pagoda, also known as the "Ten-thousand Buddha Images Pagoda", is the symbol of the Palkhor Monastery. The resounding Ten-Thousand Buddha Tower (Palkhor Tower) is the most important building in this monastery. There are altogether 10,000 figures of Buddha in the Buddhist shrine for worshipping, so hence the name Ten-Thousand Buddha. The Buddha Tower is over 30 meters and has 9 tiers with 108 gates and 77 chapels, shrines and chortens on it. It is true that this tower adds an extraordinary charm to Palkhor Monastery.
Ten-Thousand Buddha Tower consists of nearly one hundred family halls for worshipping Buddha, one overlapping another. People call it 'towers within towers', which makes for a very vivid feature in this spectacular building. The main statue in Palkhor Monastery is that of Sakyamuni with a height of about eight meters (about 26 feet). According to historical records, 14,000 kilograms of copper were needed to build it. On both sides of the main statue, hundreds of arhat statues stand shoulder to shoulder. They are extremely vivid artworks with kind, mighty or enraged facial expression. Whenever it is that you come to visit Palkhor Monastery, it won't disappoint you. Here are some guide information for your tour to the Palkhor Monastery. Address: Located at south of Lhasa and east of Shigatse Admission Fee: CNY 40.Open time: 09:30-17:30 Contact Number: 86-10-85968802
The red-walled Pelkor Chode was once a compound of 15 monasteries that brought together three different orders of Tibetan Buddhism, a rare instance of multi-denominational tolerance. Nine of the monasteries belonged to the Gelugpa sect, three belonged to Sakyapa, and another three belonged to the obscure Buton suborder whose head monastery was Shalu near Shigatse.
The monastery is famous for its Kumbum stupa, the largest chorten in Tibet and one of the architectural wonders. The white chorten contains a seemingly endless series of mural-filled chapels and offers an outstanding view from its upper levels.
Pelkor Choede monastery is located on the West side of Gyantse. It was once the third largest city in Tibet, after Lhasa and Shigatse. In the 15th century, Gyantse served as a capital of a kingdom and was at the intersection of the trade routes between the South and Lhasa.
Nowadays, Gyantse is a small city with some old quarters and traditional Tibetan architecture.
Pelkor Choede monastery’s main temple was founded in 1418 by the Prince of Gyantse. The prince was a devotee of Kedrub Je, one of the disciples of Je Tsongkhapa. Kedrub Je was recognized as the first Panchen Lama.
Later, as the monastery was growing, more buildings and colleges were added to the complex. There were eighteen different colleges In its heyday. These colleges belonged to different sects: Sakyapa, Gelugpa, and Shalupa suborder.
The Stupa (or Chorten as Tibetans call it) is located within the monastery walls and it is difficult to miss. The 32 meters/ 105 ft high structure is the highest stupa in Tibet. It contains 108 cells with various wall paintings and statues. From the higher levels of the Kumbum Stupa, you will get a fantastic view of the monastery, surrounding fort (Dzong), and Gyantse town.
The old fort of Gyantse (called Dzong in Tibetan) surrounds Pelkor Choede monastery complex and Gyantse town. The original fort is from the 13th century, it was further renovated and reconstructed later.
The gorgeous turquoise-colored lake is located about 90 km away from Gyantse. The lake attracts thousands of tourists. It is a sacred lake for Tibetans, they don’t catch fish in the lake, and they don’t swim in it. And you can enjoy it’s beauty from the height of the mountain pass or come down to the lakeshore.
From must-visit Buddhist monasteries in Lhasa and heavenly lakes located in its surroundings to the epic road trip to Everest Base Camp, Mt. Kailash and Manasrovar kora and onward overland tour to Kathmandu, etc., we handpick the best traveler-choice itineraries and ingeniously make them into the best budget Tibet group tours for worldwide travelers. With tourist-friendly service and quality guarantee, we make sure you enjoy the authentic Tibetan experience, with the affordable and reasonable budget.