Tashi Lhunpo

Tashi Lhunpo or ‘Heap of Glory’ was founded in 1447 by Gendun Drup, the First Dalai Lama and is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama. Tashi Lhunpo traditionally had about 4,000 monks and four tantric colleges. It is situated at the foot of Drolma-Ri, ‘Tara’s Mountain’ in Shigatse. Tashi Lhunpo’s buildings are decorated with golden roofs, white walls and intricate wall paintings. Maitreya Chapel within Tashi Lhunpo hosts an 86 ft high sitting Maitreya Buddha decorated with gold, diamond, pearl, coral, and other precious stones. Tashi Lhunpo houses many special buildings, including the Kelsang Temple with a 16 ft high statue of Sakyamuni Buddha and the huge and elaborately painted, nine floor high, Thangka Wall overlooking the monastery. Tashi Lhunpo is visited by many thousands of pilgrims every year that circumambulate it on the ‘Lingkor’, the sacred path outside its walls.