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Thiksey Monastery, located about 19 kilometers from Leh, is one of the largest and most architecturally impressive monasteries in Ladakh. It was founded in the mid-15th century by Palden Sherab, a disciple of the renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher Je Tsongkhapa, who established the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) school of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery is modeled after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, and is often referred to as a mini Potala due to its striking resemblance. Perched on a hilltop, it offers panoramic views of the Indus Valley and houses a stunning 15-meter statue of Maitreya Buddha, which was built to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama in 1970. The monastery also serves as an important cultural and spiritual center, with numerous stupas, wall paintings, and a vast collection of ancient scriptures. Thiksey continues to be a vibrant hub of monastic life, hosting an annual Gustor Festival (held annually, usually in the 9th month of the Tibetan calendar, which typically falls around October or November) that attracts pilgrims and tourists alike.
Thiksey Monastery, Leh
August 2024
Trekking 3 days from Tsurpu Monastery to Yangpachen Monastery.
I love this photo for how well it captures the vastness and scale of the Tibetan plateau and the contrast between the wide valley and the framing peaks.
This shot is looking north as you enter the east-west running Yangpachen valley facing the Nyenchen Tanglha range.
The vegetation in this high arid region is sparse and much of it is tundra. Nomadic herders and small settlements dot the landscape in seeming random pockets, moving their herds of yaks, goats and sheep up and down the rugged slopes grazing. It is a hard, but vital existence.
Day 21: Our sleeping quarters for the night were inside this impressive monastery-albergue in Vairão. This was also the first day out of Porto, where more pilgrims begin their camino (though still not many in COVID times), so I cooked dinner for four of us and we enjoyed the communal spirit that was otherwise mostly absent from this camino for obvious reasons.
Please visit Spirit of the Camino, my website about the unique and magical experience that is the Camino de Santiago.
Mosaic at the Hâncu monastery - Moldova
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hâncu_monastery
The Hâncu Monastery (Romanian: Mănăstirea Hâncu) is a monastery in Bursuc, Moldova. The monastery was founded in 1678.
Labrang Monastery (Tibetan: བླ་བྲང་བཀྲ་ཤིས་འཁྱིལ་, Wylie: bla-brang bkra-shis-'khyil) is one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Its formal name is Genden Shédrup Dargyé Trashi Gyésu khyilwé Ling (Tibetan: དགེ་ལྡན་བཤད་སྒྲུབ་དར་རྒྱས་བཀྲ་ཤིས་གྱས་སུ་འཁྱིལ་བའི་གླིང༌།, Wylie: dge ldan bshad sgrub dar rgyas bkra shis gyas su 'khyil ba'i gling).
Labrang is located in Xiahe County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu, in the traditional Tibetan area of Amdo. Labrang Monastery is home to the largest number of monks outside the Tibet Autonomous Region. Xiahe is about four hours by car from the provincial capital Lanzhou.
In the early part of the 20th century, Labrang was by far the largest and most influential monastery in Amdo. It is located on the Daxia River, a tributary of the Yellow River.
The monastery was founded in 1709 by the first Jamyang Zhépa, Ngawang Tsöndrü.It is Tibetan Buddhism's most important monastery town outside the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
Labrang Monastery is situated at the strategic intersection of two major Asian cultures—Tibetan and Mongolian — and was one of the largest Buddhist monastic universities. In the early 20th century, it housed several thousand monks. Labrang was also a gathering point for numerous annual religious festivals and was the seat of a Tibetan power base that strove to maintain regional autonomy through the shifting alliances and bloody conflicts that took place between 1700 and 1950.[5]
In April 1985 the Assembly Hall burned down. It was replaced and the new building was consecrated in 1990
The monastery complex dominates the western part of the village. The white walls and gilded roofs feature a blend of Tibetan and Indian Vihara architectural styles. The monastery contains 18 halls, six institutes of learning, a gilded stupa, a sutra debate area, and houses nearly 60,000 sutras.
At its height the monastery housed 4,000 monks. Like so many religious institutions, it suffered during the Cultural Revolution; and the monks were sent to their villages to work. After it was reopened in 1980, many of the monks returned; but the government restricted enrolment to around 1,500.[7]
It has a Buddhist museum with a large collection of Buddha statues, sutras and murals. In addition, a large amount of Tibetan language books, including books on history is available for purchase, together with medicines, calendars, music and art objects.
There used to be a great gold-painted statue of the Buddha, more than 50 feet high, which was surrounded by rows of surrounding Buddhas in niches.[8]
The monastery today is an important place for Buddhist ceremonies and activities. From January 4 to 17 and June 26, to July 15, (these dates may change according to the lunar calendar), the great Buddhist ceremony will be held with Buddha-unfolding, sutra enchanting, praying, sutra debates, etc.
Sanahin, together with the nearby Haghpat Monastery, were founded around the 10th century and was the centre of learning in the region. A number of detailed and sophisticated manuscripts were produced in Sanahin and had survived in different museums.
Sanahin, Lori Province, northern Armenia.
Monastery is an Orthodox Christian monastery for women of the Church of Romania. It is the largest & also the last built of the painted monasteries of Bucovina. It was built in 1581 by the Bishop of Rădăuţi, Gheorghe Movila. Frescoes are the work of 2 master painters, Ioan and his brother Sofronie from Suceava.
The Sinaia Monastery, located in Sinaia, in Prahova County, Romania, was founded by Prince Mihail Cantacuzino in 1695 and named after the great Saint Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai in Egypt.
As of 2005, it is inhabited by 13 Christian Orthodox monks led by hegumen Macarie Boguș.
It is part of the Bucharest archdiocese.
Its architectural style is Byzantine
The monastery gave its name to the town of Sinaia.
The monastery consists of two courtyards surrounded by low buildings.
In the centre of each courtyard there is a small church built in the Byzantine style.
One of them —"Biserica Veche" (The Old Church)— dates from 1695, while the more recent "Biserica Mare" (The Great Church) was built in 1846.
The monks possess a library that is a repository for valuable jewels belonging to the Cantacuzino family, as well as the earliest Romanian translation of the Bible, dated 1668.
Prince (Spătarul) Mihail Cantacuzino founded the monastery upon his return from a pilgrimage to Mount Sinai.
The first buildings were completed between 1690 and 1695.
It was designed to serve as a monastery as well as a fortified stronghold on the route from Brasov to Bucharest.
The initial plan was for the monastery to hold 12 monks, to imitate the Twelve Apostles, but in time the number of monks grew.
In the midst of the Russo-Turkish War, 1735–1739, before deserting the monastery, monks hid the valuables by burying them inside a bell.
During a battle, the Turks defeated troops stationed within the walls of the monastery.
The Ottomans burned the area and broke through the wall in two places.
Until 1850, Sinaia consisted of little more than the monastery and a group of huts.
In 1864, however, the monastic estate was assigned to the Board of Civil Hospitals (Eforia Spitalelor Civile), which opened a hospital and several baths, and helped develop mineral springs in Sinaia.
In 1948, the monastery was put under the patronage of the Archdiocese of Bucharest from the Board of Civil Hospitals.
The Romanian Patriarch, Justinian Marina, restored the buildings between the years 1951 and 1957 with money from the Archdiocese.
During this period, the whole monastery was fitted with running water, electricity, and natural gas.
Thanks to the efforts of King Carol I, the Great Church of the monastery became the first church to use electric lights inside.
Under the leadership of Hegumens Ioasaf and Paisie, construction of The Great Church began in 1842 using funds allocated by the monastery and was completed in 1846.
This smaller structure was enlarged by the Board of Civil Hospitals during a period from 1897 to 1903.
All these efforts gave the building the appearance it has today.
Created by architect George Mandrea, the structure utilizes the Moldavian style and the Brâncovenesc style from Walachia.
It is said that the belt of three green enamel lines that encircle the building represent the unity of the Holy Trinity in one God and the unity of the Three Romanian Kingdoms in one country.
The gold mosaic paintings inside were created by Danish artist Aage Exner in a typical neo-Byzantine style.
The main illustrations show five persons:
Iosif Gheorghian mitropolit primat – he re-opened the building in 1903
Carol I of Romania – shown dressed as an officer, with his right hand upon a rock pillar with a missing piece.
This symbolizes the missing Romanian territories at that time
Elisabeth of Wied – Queen consort of Romania, known in the literary world as Carmen Sylva
Princess Maria of Romania – Queen Elisabeta's only child, who died at an early age
Mihail Cantacuzino – builder of the Old Church
The furniture was made of wood (sycamore, maple, and oak) by Constantin Babic and his students at the Bucharest Art School (Ṣcoala de Arte si Meserii).
The King's throne displays the royal emblem and the motto Nihil sine Deo (Nothing without God).
The Queen's throne is embossed with the letters E.D. Both thrones are gold-plated.
The two Russian icons, of Saint Serghei and Saint Nicholas, were a gift from Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in 1903.
They were presented to the Hegumen Nifon Arhimandritul for the baptism of Prince Nicholae, son of King Ferdinand.
A remarkable piece adorning the monastery is the epitaphios by Anna Roth, made of silk and gold on a cotton base.
It took three years (from 1897 to 1900) to finish.
During the leadership of Hegumen Nifon Popescu (1888–1909), a large bell tower was added to the monastery walls.
It was completed in 1892.
The 1,700-kilogram bell was brought from the Colţea Tower in Bucharest.
To the left of the bell tower atthe entrance lies the Museum.
In 1895 the museum of the monastery was opened, the first exhibition of religious objects in Romania.
It holds collections of icons and crosses from the 17th century, the very first Bible in Romanian (Bucharest, 1688), and many other precious objects.
The New Church dates back to 1846, but was renovated and enlarged in the following decades at the initiative of King Carol the 1st who used the monastery as a summer residence until the inauguration of the nearby Peles Castle.
Given the constant presence of its royal guests, the Great Church was adorned with the large-scale painted portraits of Queen Elisabeta and King Carol the 1st and two royal seats close to the altar.
The large proportions of the New Church and combination of typical elements of the ‘Brancovenesc’ style — the small porch with carved stone columns and ornated portal — and the Moldavian church style — high and solid walls similar to a fortress — create a one of a kind church in Southern Romania, a symbol of the cultural unity of the Romanian provinces.
This Romanian orthodox monastery was built in the 14th century and is a wonderful example of Moldavian medieval architecture.
Panormitis lies at the other end of the island from Yialos, at the head of a sheltered bay, and is famous for the Byzantine style Monastery of the Archangel Michael, originally built about 450AD, and rebuilt in 1783.
In the early 14th century, Tsongkhapa, the founder of the reformed Gelugpa School (the Yellow hat sect), sent six of his disciples to remote regions of Tibet to spread the teachings of the new school. Tsongkhapa gave one of his disciples, Sherab Sangpo, a small statue of Amitayus (Chepakmet) that contained bone powder and a drop of Tsongkhapa's own blood. Tsongkhapa directed him to meet the King of Ladakh with a message seeking his help in the propagation of Buddhist religion. The King greatly liked the gift of the statue and directed his minister to help Sherab Sangpo to establish a monastery of the Gelugpa order in Ladakh. As a result, in 1433, Sangpo founded a small village monastery called Lhakhang Serpo (meaning Yellow temple) in the village of Stagmo. Later the nephew of Sherab Sangpo, Spon Paldan Sherab, founded the Thiksey monastery on a hill top to north of Indus river in 1430 AD. The monastery is believed to have been built on the site of an earlier Kadampa establishment. The statue of Spon Paldan Sherab can be seen in the Lhamo Lakhang of the Thiksey monastery. The architecture of the monastery strongly resembles the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Thiksey Monastery is also known as 'Mini Potala’. It is a 12-storey complex and houses the Maitreya (future Buddha) statue which was installed to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama to this monastery in 1970. At 49 ft it is the largest such statue in Ladakh.
As we exit the monastery, we pass the kiosk with the gargantuan prayer wheel once again. I was amazed at the size of the thing. (May 2009)
The main entrance to Blackfriars from St Giles Street, Oxford; Though the current foundation dates only from 1921, the Dominican Order has a much longer history in the City of Oxford dating back to 1221; the Reformation's closure of all monastic houses forced an absence of 400 years, but today it is thriving again, a haven of peace and spirituality and a centre of learning and training of new members of the priesthood.
This was the reason for my visit this day, with Flickrfriend Br Lawrence Lew about to be recieved into the priesthood. At the same time Br Robert Verril, an old school friend of mine (from many years ago in Rugby) was made a deacon. I came to show my support and wish them both well for the future.
Surrounded by pine forest, the monastery of Panagia Kalopetra was built in 1782 on a mountain slope above the Valley of the Butterflies (Petaloudes). It was founded by Alexander Ypsilantis during his exiles in Rhodes. Ypsilantis was a Greek prince, ruler of Wallachia and Moldavia, engaged in various wars against the Ottomans. His grandson was the leader of the Filiki Eteria that began the Greek Revolution in 1821.
There are two contrasting stories involving the founding of this small monastery. One, the most plausible, relates that Ypsilantis brought his daughter to the area to cure her of tuberculosis, as the water that sprung from a rock on the mountain was considered to be therapeutic. In gratitude, he founded this small monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary, giving it the name of Kalopetra which in Greek means 'good stone'.
According to the other story the prince built the monastery after having survived a terrible storm at sea with his two children. This version says that Ypsilantis saw a divine light emanating from the area of Kalopetra that helped their ship reach land safely.
Having accidentally gate crashed the inauguration ceremony of the new Vice Chancellor, the monks at Tango Monastery invited me in for much needed tea and the ceremonial dinner in the monastery 'canteen'.
Suite du Road Trip en Belgique, avec un passage rapide au Pays Bas.
Cette fois ci, visite d'un ancien monastére avec sa chapelle !
esprit es tu là ? brr..
Selling jams, Armenian pomegranate wine, famous Geghard gata, t'tu lavash, soojukh and other sweets near Geghard Monastery, Kotayq Province, Armenia
19.July.2010
Saint Catherine's Monastery lies on the Sinai Peninsula at the mouth of a gorge at the foot of Mount Sinai. The monastery is controlled by the autonomous Church of Sinai, part of the wider Eastern Orthodox Church. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Built between 548 and 565, the monastery is one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world. The site contains the world's oldest continually operating library, preserving the second largest collection of early codices and manuscripts in the world, outnumbered only by the Vatican Library. It contains Greek, Arabic, Armenian, Coptic, Hebrew, Georgian, Aramaic and Caucasian Albanian texts.