July 25, 2006 - Main temple at Gandan Monastery

This photo gives you a closer look at the main temple of the monastery. The monastery was built in the mid-19th century and today about 150 monks are in residence. For the most part, the monstery survived the communist purges of the 1930s. A huge statue of Avalokitsvara was confiscagted by communists but has since been replaced. It stands 25m high and consumes the interior of the temple.