Key Gompa - One Of The Largest Tibetan Monasteries

Saturday 4 June 2016

Key Gompa - One Of The Largest Tibetan Monasteries

Key Gompa is one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. It is located in the Spiti valley in the heart of the Indian Himalayas. Getting hereeasy, because the monastery is built at an altitude of 4166 meters above sea level. Here, since the 11th century, trained llamas, today in this training center is home to about 300 people.

Today Key Gompa is more like a defensive outpost, rather than the monastery. Of course, in its architecture significantly influence the Chinese tradition: multi-story building looks like a pile of small rooms, narrow corridors inside the monastery, constantly twilight reigns. His unusual appearance building was due to the fact that the monks were constantly filled-destroyed parts.

History Key Gompa truly tragic, but, in spite of everything, the building survived, and within its walls are still brought up strong spirit Lama. Perhaps one of the most difficult periods for the monastery was the 17th century when, during the reign of the fifth Dalai Lama in Key Gompa raided Tatar tribes. In the 19th century, the monastery also had a chance to survive the attack of various armies that fought in this troubled region, a lot, unfortunately, was looted. On top of all troubles, in 1975, the monastery building was damaged by the earthquake. flickr/Christophe