Gandan Monastery Ulaanbaatar

The Gandantegchinlen Monastery (Mongolian: Гандантэгчинлэн хийд, Gandantegchinlen khiid short name: Gandan Mongolian: Гандан, Chinese: 甘丹寺, Gāndān Temple) is a Tibetan-style monastery in Ulaanbaatar, constructed by the 5th Jebtsundampa in 1809. This is the center of Mongolian spiritual life - its Tibetan name translates to the "Great Place of Complete Joy", and it currently has ~150 monks in residence. The central icon is a 26.5-meter-high statue of Migjid Janraisig, a Buddhist bodhisattva also known as Avalokitesvara. The compound features statues and shrines to Tsongkhapa (Lobsang Drakpa blo bzang grags pa or Je Rinpoche rje rin po che), the famous teacher of Tibetan Buddhism whose activities led to the formation of the Geluk school.