Choijin Lama Temple Museum
Чойжин ламын сүм музей
A Qing-era temple among the city's high-rises, with five halls that preserve some of Mongolia's finest religious art and tsam masks. It survived the purges of the 1930s, making it a rare treasure.
Choijin Lama Temple was built between 1904 and 1908 by Jebtsundamba Khutagt VIII, the last living Buddha, for his younger brother, the state protector deity “Choijin Lama.” It was closed during the religious purges of 1938, and it was preserved as a museum and opened to the public in 1942. It is the best-preserved late Qing monastery complex in Ulaanbaatar. The temple has five halls. The main hall houses guardian deity statues and a seated figure of Choijin Lama (today a sculpture, not a mummy), and its walls are hung with tsam ritual dance masks and thangkas. Zuu Hall has statues of Shakyamuni and the sixteen arhats. Yadam Hall has tantric paired-deity images and bronze Buddhas by the Mongolian sculpture master Zanabazar, which are artistic treasures. In the courtyard are tall prayer-flag poles and Tibetan-style white stupas. The temple is surrounded by modern high-rises such as the Blue Sky Tower, which creates a striking contrast and makes for great photos. Tsam mask dance performances are sometimes held in summer. Entry costs about 15,000 tögrög for foreigners, and photography costs extra. It is about 300 meters southeast of Chinggis Square, a 5-minute walk. Note: the halls are dimly lit and flash photography is not allowed. It may be closed on Mondays or Tuesdays, so check before you go. A visit takes about 1 hour.
Opening hours
10:00–18:00 (until 17:00 in winter); closed Mondays
Nearby sights
- Tumen Ekh Folk Song and Dance Ensemble
- State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet
- Sükhbaatar Square
- National Museum of Mongolia
- Chinggis Khaan National Museum
- Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts
- State Department Store (Ikh Delguur)
- National Sports Stadium (Naadam)