Gandantegchinlen Monastery — Attraction in Ulaanbaatar

The Gandantegchinlen Monastery (Mongolian: Гандантэгчинлэн хийд, Gandantegchinlen khiid, short name: Gandan Mongolian: Гандан) is a Mongolian Buddhist monastery in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar that has been restored and revitalized since 1990. The Tibetan name translates to the "Great Place of Complete Joy". It currently has over 150 monks in residence. It features a 26.5-meter-high statue of Avalokiteśvara. It came under state protection in 1994. The Gandantegchinlen Monastery (Mongolian: Гандантэгчинлэн хийд, Gandantegchinlen khiid, short name: Gandan Mongolian: Гандан) is a Mongolian Buddhist monastery in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar that has been restored and revitalized since 1990. The Tibetan name translates to the "Great Place of Complete Joy". It currently has over 150 monks in residence. It features a 26.5-meter-high statue of Avalokiteśvara. It came under state protection in 1994. Gandantegchinlen Khiid monastery, having escaped this mass destruction, was closed in 1938, but then reopened in 1944 and was allowed to continue as the only functioning Buddhist monastery, under a skeleton staff, as a token homage to traditional Mongolian culture and religion. With the end of Marxism in Mongolia in 1990, restrictions on worship...

Gandantegchinlen Monastery, commonly known as Gandan Monastery, is a prominent Tibetan-style Buddhist monastery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Founded in 1809 by the Fifth Jebtsundamba Khutuktu, it became a key center for Buddhist learning. Its name, translating to "Great Place of Complete Joy" in Tibetan, reflects its spiritual significance. The monastery survived the Soviet purges of the 1930s, which destroyed over 900 monasteries, closing in 1938 but reopening in 1944 as Mongolia’s only active monastery under tight communist control. After 1990’s democratic shift, it was revitalized, now housing over 150 monks. Located in the Bayangol District, about 2.6 km west of Sükhbaatar Square, Gandan features a striking 26.5-meter statue of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, rebuilt in 1996 with public donations after the original was dismantled by Soviet forces in the 1930s. The complex includes temples like Migjid Janraisig Sum, Ochidara Temple, and a library with over 50,000 texts. Morning ceremonies, starting around 9 AM, offer a glimpse of chanting and rituals. It’s a cultural hub, blending Mongolian and Tibetan influences, and a symbol of resilience amid Mongolia’s...

The monastery was constructed by order of the 5th Jebtsundamba Khutuktu in 1809. The first temple was the Gungaachoilin Datsan. Only one wooden pillar remains from this temple. In 1838, the Gandantegchenlin Temple was built along with the private residence of the Jebtsundamba Khutuktu. The 13th Dalai Lama stayed in the residence in 1904. In 1840, the Vajradhara Temple was built. In 1869, the Zuu Temple was built. In 1913, the tall Avalokiteśvara temple was built. In 1925, the temple for keeping the remains of the 8th Jebtsundamba Khutuktu was built. It is now the monastery library.

In the 1930s, the Communist government of Mongolia, under the leadership of Khorloogiin Choibalsan and under the influence of Joseph Stalin, destroyed all but a few monasteries and killed more than 15,000 lamas.

Gandantegchinlen Khiid monastery, having escaped this mass destruction, was closed in 1938, but then reopened in 1944 and was allowed to continue as the only functioning Buddhist monastery, under a skeleton staff, as a token homage to traditional Mongolian culture and religion. With the end of Marxism in Mongolia in 1990, restrictions on worship...