Sera Monastery

Located at the foot of a mountain in the northern outskirts of Lhasa, Sera Monastery was built in 1419 by Jamchen Choje, one of the eight disciples of Tsongkhapa, the founder of Gelugpa Sect, covering an area of 114,964 square metres. The structure is imposing, picturesque in disorder, and splendid in green and gold. It is a typical Tibetan architecture. Sera Monastery, together with Ganden Monastery and Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, is reputed as the Three Great University Monasteries of Tibet. The monastery consists of three ‘Zhacangs’ or colleges. Besides the college buildings are the ‘Tsokchen Hall’ or Great Assembly Hall and the ‘Kamcun’ or dormitory along with other buildings of lesser importance. Sera monastery is well-known for its almost daily ‘monk debates’ which are popular with visitors. In the afternoon, the monks gather in a central courtyard and debate points of Buddhist learning. You don’t need to understand Tibetan or the finer points of Buddhist theology to enjoy the spectacle.

Sera Monastery