Discover the world's oldest Buddhist monastery

Located on the top of a mountain with a poetic landscape with a height of 4,166 m above sea level, the Key Gompa Monastery resembles a fortress with many buildings overlapping.

Explore the lama training monastery

Key Gompa, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery, sits on a mountain top with a poetic landscape at an altitude of 4,166 m above sea level and near the Spiti River.

The mountain where the monastery is located in the Spiti valley, Himachal Pradesh, India.This is one of the largest, oldest Buddhist monasteries in the world.It is also the center of training lamas.

Researchers believe that the monastery was born in the 11th century. In the past, the Mongolian army frequently attacked the Key Gompa.They held a major attack on the monastery in the 17th century.

In the 19th century, conflicts between many parties occurred frequently in the area around the Key Gompa.The armies involved in conflict often robbed the monastery.A large fire devastated the monastery in the 40s of the 19th century. In 1975, the meditator severely damaged a strong earthquake.

The number of Lama study teachers at Lama is always around 300. They have to learn the doctrine, the dance, the song and how to play the instrument.In the Vajrayana, the lama not only taught the dharma but also performed religious rituals.Today, all Tibetan monks are lamas, although their levels of witnessing are different.Because Lama is so important, many scholars also call Tibetan Buddhism a lama.

Due to the repeated attacks of Key Gompa, monks must regularly repair and renovate the building, making it a strange structure, like giant boxes overlapping.If you observe from a distance, you will feel that the Key Gompa is more like a fortress than a monastery.

Spiti River near the frozen monastery in winter.

More than a dozen monks play volleyball on the court.

Many narrow tunnels and corridors exist in the monastery.In order to go to the prayer rooms, the monks had to step through dark corridors, tricky staircases and narrow doors.

Lama's study is very difficult.In the early stages, they studied the sutras and practice meditation.After living in the Lama (retreat) for at least 3 years, they officially became Lama and preached the Dhamma.

Urination increases in adolescence in the monastery.

For Tibetan Buddhists, the lama is not an ordinary monk, because they are the embodiment of Buddha.