TSUGLAGKHANG COMPLEX

The Tsuglagkhang (or central chapel) complex is located at the bottom of Temple Road. It includes the official residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama(photang), a monastery(Gompa), the Tibet Museum and the central chapel(Tsuglagkhang).

On site, you can admire a golden statue of Buddha Sakyamumi 3 meters high, as well as statues of Avalokiteshvara and Padmasambhava, the father of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Kalachakra temple dates back to 1992 and is filled with paintings of the Wheel of Time (Kalachakra mandala).

The Namgyal Gompa houses a temple with golden bronzes of Buddha. You will see pilgrims lying on the ground in devotion. Be aware that Tsuglagkhang is always walked around clockwise(kora). In fact, early in the morning, you will see many locals making the circuit before starting their day. In the late afternoon, the monks gather in the courtyard for a lively exercise in Buddhist philosophy. On the program: debates of ideas and concepts in pairs, embellished with many gestures, under the inquisitive eye of their teacher. The scene is worth the detour.

Close to the temple, there is also the Tibet Museum which retraces, with the help of videos and photos, the recent history of Tibet, the incursion of China and the exodus of Tibetans. See www.thetibetmuseum.org; the museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm.

The library has an extensive archive of Tibetan books and texts (same hours as the museum).