Gandantegchinlen Monastery
Гандантэгчинлэн хийд
The centre of Mongolian Tibetan Buddhism, home to a 26.5-metre standing Avalokiteshvara and hundreds of monks chanting each morning. It is the only large monastery preserved from the Soviet era.
Gandantegchinlen Monastery, whose full name means “the place of complete joy of the Great Vehicle,” was founded in 1838. It is Mongolia's most important Tibetan Buddhist (Gelug) monastery and the home of a Buddhist college. At its height, it housed more than 10,000 monks. During the religious purges of the 1930s, nearly all of Mongolia's temples were destroyed. Gandan survived because in 1944 it was preserved as a “showcase” to demonstrate religious freedom to foreign visitors. It continues today with about 150 monks.
The highlight is the 26.5-metre gilded bronze standing Avalokiteshvara (Megjid Janraisig) inside the main hall. The original statue, cast in 1911, was taken by the Soviets in 1938 and melted down. The current statue was recast in 1996 and contains sutras and medicinal herbs. Hundreds of small Buddha figures and prayer wheels surround it. In the sutra hall next door, you can watch monks chanting in the morning (please do not disturb them). The square in front is full of pigeons, and feeding them is a local custom for good fortune. The monastery also has a Buddhist college, a sutra library and an old hall in 13th-century style.
Entry to the monastery is free. The Avalokiteshvara hall costs about 10,000 tugriks, and photography inside costs extra. It lies west of the city centre, about 25 minutes' walk from Sükhbaatar Square or a 10-minute taxi ride.
Notes: circle the shrine clockwise, remove your hat, and do not point at the statues with your finger. Avoid shorts and short skirts. Watch your belongings around beggars and vendors.
Opening hours
09:00–17:00 (chanting approx. 09:00–11:00)
Nearby sights
- Central Museum of Mongolian Dinosaurs
- State Department Store (Ikh Delguur)
- Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts
- Chinggis Khaan National Museum
- National Museum of Mongolia
- Sükhbaatar Square
- Choijin Lama Temple Museum
- State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet