Drepung Monastery
Description:
The largest Buddhist monastery and university of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as a place of pilgrimage. Drepung Monastery was founded in 1416. It was originally the residence of the Dalai Lamas, but later, with the construction of the Potala Palace, it lost this function.
The monastery occupies a large territory located on the mountainside. Many buildings are connected by passages and stairs at once on several levels. Drepung also houses the largest tank in Tibet. Once a year, it is taken out of the gompa and hung on a specially created structure on the mountain.
Before the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959, the monastery had more than 15,000 monks, the largest monastery in Tibet. Now the monastery continues to function, but it is home to only a few hundred monks. The monastery is also a museum visited by numerous tourists.